3. 

LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON.  N.  J. 


Division   ^ 

  )ni 


Section. 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet 

Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/serviceofsongOOstac 


J 

THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG: 


A  TREATISE  ON  SINGING 


IN  PRIVATE  DEVOTION, 


IN  THE 


FAMILY  AND  IN  THE  SCHOOL, 


AND  IN 


BY 

REV.  A.  G.  "sTACY,  A.  M. 


Praise  ye  the  Lord. 


SAINT  LOUIS: 
SOUTHWESTERN  BOOK  AND  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 

510  AND  512  WASHINGTON  AVENUE. 
1871. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S71,  by 

A.  G.  STACY, 
in  the  OflSice  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


Dedication. 


TO  THE 

COMPILER  OF  SEVERAL  COLLECTIONS 

O  F 

HYMNS  AND  SONGS, 

REV.  THOS.  O.   SUMMERS,  D. 

WHOM    THE    AUTHOR    OF    THIS  VOLUME 
PERMITTED  TO  CLAIM  AS  HIS  PERSONAL  FRIEND 
AND    HIGHLY    ESTEEMED   BROTHER  IN 
CHRIST,  THIS  BOOK  IS  AFFECTION- 
ATELY  INSCRIBED. 


PREFACE. 


The  Author  of  this  unpretending  volume  has  long  looked 
in  sadness  upon  the  indifference  manifested  by  many  in  the 
service  of  song.  Thousands  who  have  the  ability  to  sing 
maintain  a  careless  silence  in  the  church ;  and  of  those  who 
sing,  many  are  evidently  destitute,  to  a  very  great  extent,  of 
the  spirit  of  worship.  Even  ministers  are  but  too  frequently 
seen  burying  their  own  talent  for  song,  while  they  allow 
habitual  remissness  in  others  without  uttering  a  word  of 
instruction,  encouragement  or  warning.  Observation  of  this 
inattention  to  a  matter  of  prime  importance  convinced  the 
writer,  several  years  ago,  that  something  should  be  done  to 
bring  up  the  practice  of  the  Church  to  the  Scriptural  rule. 

Supposing  that  there  were  already  extant  books  and  tracts 
on  the  subject  of  Praise  in  Song,  we  searched  many  private 
Hbraries,  but  could  find  no  works  of  the  kind.  Special 
inquiry  was  then  made  at  sundry  book-stores  and  publishing 
houses,  but  with  httle  success.  From  Columbia  and  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  200  Mulberry  street.  New 
York,  and  other  cities,  nothing  could  be  obtained  but  a  few 
books  on  Psalm-singing,  Hymnology,  and  Musical  history. 


VI  PKEFACE. 

A  few  other  valuable  publications  of  the  same  character 
were  procured  from  the  private  library  of  David  Creamer, 
Esq.,  of  Baltimore,  most  of  them  imported  by  him  from 
England  about  twenty-five  years  ago. 

None  of  these  volumes  are  in  general  circulation  in  this 
country;  and  in  none  of  them  is  the  general  subject  of 
singing  so  fully  discussed  as  to  meet  the  desideratum. 
Hence,  we  reached  the  conclusion  that  one  more  book  was 
greatly  needed.  Friends  were  consulted,  and  among  them 
the  Book  Editor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
at  Nashville.  Their  views  coincided  with  our  own,  and  we 
were  encouraged  to  undertake  the  work.  Urged  by  a  sense 
of  duty,  we  took  up  our  pen,  determined  to  publish  or 
suppress  what  should  be  written,  as  judicious  advisers  might 
suggest.    The  present  volume  is  the  result. 

We  have  paid  due  respect  to  the  productions  of  both 
ancient  and  modern  writers;  but  have  steadily  kept  in  view 
our  own  plan,  and  have  fearlessly  expressed  our  own  views. 
Above  all,  we  have  made  the  Bible  "  the  man  of  our  counsel." 

To  have  written  in  the  absence  of  all  books  save  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  would  have  cost  us  only  about  a  tithe  of 
the  time  and  labor  devoted  to  the  work,  but  we  thought 
conclusions  reached  after  free  discussion  preferable  to 
dogmatism. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  book  will  be  found  to  be  Christianly 
liberal.    There  is  here  no  doctrinal  controversy  to  offend 


P  K  E  F  A  C  E  .  VII 

those  whose  creeds  differ  from  that  of  the  author.  In  what 
is  said  of  Church  usage  we  have  written  freely,  but  kindly. 
Our  aim  has  been  to  prepare  a  manual  for  the  edification 
and  comfort  of  Christians  generally,  and  which  may  interest 
and  profit  those  who  are  without  the  pale  of  the  Church. 

At  every  step  we  have  desired  that  a  theme  so  transcend- 
ently  important  should  be  treated  by  an  abler  hand ;  and, 
without  the  kind  words  and  favorable  opinion  of  those  upon 
whose  judgment  we  could  rely,  the  work  had  never  been 
finished.  In  this  connection  we  take  pleasure  in  mentioning 
the  names  of  the  Rev.  T.  O.  Summers,  D.  D.,  and  the 
Rev.  W.  A.  Gamewell.    The  latter  now  sings  in  heaven. 

Being  especially  solicitous  to  reach  the  heart,  we  converse 
with  the  reader  as  friend  would  talk  to  friend. 

The  preparation  of  the  work  has  been  a  blessing  to  us, 
and  if  its  perusal  shall  be  alike  beneficial  to  the  reader,  we 
shall  be  a  thousand  times  compensated  for  the  time  and 
effort  expended. 

May  we  meet  in  the  land  of  light  and  love.  There  we 
shall  forever  behold  and  worship  "The  King  in  His 
beauty."    But  "  who  can  show  forth  all  His  praise." 

Our  offering,  humble  though  it  be,  is  laid  upon  the  altar 
of  Him  "  who  is  above  all  blessing  and  praise."  May  it  be 
graciously  accepted.  The  Author. 

Lexington,  Mo.,  yanuary  14,  187 1. 


CONTENTS. 


GENERAL  SCRIPTURAL  VIEW. 


The  Angels  Delight  to  Sing  their  Maker's  Praise — Our  First  Parents 
in  Eden — Their  Worship — The  Atonement  Furnishes  new  Cause 
for  Praise — Music  after  the  Fall — Vocal  music  must  have  Pre- 
ceded Instrumental  —  Instruments  invented — The  first  Sacred 
Song — Two  Choirs — The  Tabernacle  set  uf>— Moses  composes 
a  Song  just  before  his  Death — The  Song  of  Deborah,  the 
Prophetess — The  First  and  Best  Poets  were  Hebrews — The 
Song  sung  at  the  First  Attempt  to  Bring  the  Ark  to  the  Hill 
of  Zion — The  Song  sung  when  the  Ark  was  brought  up — 
The  Arrangement  made  by  David  for  the  Service  of  Song 
when  the  Worship  in  Jerusalem  was  Established — Women 
Singers  as  well  as  Men  Singers  in  the  Temple  Choir — Why 
David  is  called  "the  Sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel" — The  Golden 
Age  of  Hebrew  Poetry  and  Song — Singing  at  the  Dedication  of 
Solomon's  Temple — The  Style  of  Singing  in  the  Tabernacle  and 
in  the  Temple — Illustration — "His  mercy  endureth  forever" — 
The  Captives  in  Babylon  hang  their  Harps  upon  the  Willows — 
The  Captives  on  their  Homeward  March — Praise  at  the  Laying 
of  the  Corner-stone  of  the  Second  Temple  —  The  Advent  of 
the  Messiah,  and  the  Song  of  the  Angels  after  a  long  season 
of  Gloom — Christ  and  the  Apostles  Sung  a  Hymn  before  going 
out  to  the  Mount  of  Olives — The  First  Century  of  the  Christian 
Era — Paul  and  Silas  at  Phillippi — Teachings  and  Injunctions 
of  the  Apostles  in  regard  to  Singing — The  Song  Heard  by 
St.  John  the  Divine — This  Scriptural  Review  shows  Praise  to 
be  an  Integral  Part  of  Worship  


X 


CONTENTS. 


PART  FIRST. 

SINGING  IN  PRIVATE  DEVOTION. 

Religion  should  be  made  a  Personal  Matter — Singing  should  have 
a  place  in  Private  Devotion — David  and  the  other  Psalmists — 
The  Devout  Laborer — Numerous  Occasions  of  Gratitude  and 
Praise— ''O,  Weep  not  for  the  Joys  that  Fade"— Death, 
only,  considered  Inexorable  by  the  Ancient  Grecians — The 
Albigensian  Christians — Margaret  Wilson — Charles  Wesley — 
John  Wesley — The  Little  Girl  in  the  far  Southwest — Bishop 
Capers— The  Rev.  M.  L.  Hoge,  D.  D.— The  Rev,  W.  G. 
Caples  _  


PART  SECOND. 

SINGING  IN  THE  FAMILY  AND  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

SINGING  IN  THE  FAMILY. 

Home — A  Christian  Home — Praise  as  well  as  Prayer  should  be 
Heard  in  the  Habitations  of  the  Faithful — Benefits  of  House- 
hold Praise — Why  it  is  especially  Beneficial  to  Children — We 
need  Sacred  Songs  as  an  Offset  against  Bacchanalian  or  Ribald 
Songs — The  Early  Christians — The  Westminster  Assembly — 
Matthew  Henry's  Remark — The  Author's  Reminiscences — 
*'Come  to  the  Place  of  Prayer" — Family  Choirs  

CHAPTER  n. 

SINGING  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 

Music  should  be  Taught  in  all  our  Literary  Institutions — Pupils  can 
usually  learn  Music  with  ease — General  Conference  Action — 
Bishop  Andrew  on  the  same  subject — Singing  in  the  Schools  in 


CONTENTS.  XI 

Prussia — What  Luther  says — President  J.  M.  Bonnell — Dr. 
Thomas  Hastings — N.  D.  Gould — Dr.  Rush  Recommends 
Vocal  Music — Horace  VValpole — Instrumental  Music  in  Female 
Colleges — Bishop  Andrew  desires  Sacred  Songs — Singing  in 
the  Sabbath-school  —  The  Singing  of  Children  —  A  Musical 
Theology  for  Children   75 


PART  THIRD. 

SINGING  IN  THE  WORSHIPING  CONGREGATION. 


SECTION  1.— WHO  SHOULD  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

ALL    SHOULD  SING. 

The  Object  of  Congregational  Singing— Many  of  our  Hymns  are 
Prayers — Singing  takes  its  stand  with  Preaching  and  Praying — 
Congregational  Singing  the  Oldest  Style  of  Music  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church — The  Transition  to  the  Clergy — Luther  Restored 
Music  to  the  People — Singing  a  part  of  Divine  Worship — White- 
field's  Preaching  and  the  Singing — The  Hibernian  in  the  Sack  at 
Wexford — The  Tavern-keeper — Musical  Works  issued  by  the 
Wesleys — Rules  in  the  Methodist  Discipline — But  few,  com- 
paratively, Sing — Preachers  must  Lead  in  the  Reformation...  92 

CHAPTER  II. 

ALL  SHOULD  SING. — [Continued,) 

The  Great  Power  of  Song  in  the  Reformation — Luther — Clement 
Marot  and  Theodore  Beza — Priests  Sung  Down  by  the  Peo- 
ple— Papists  Imitate  the  Protestants — Reformation  in  England — 
Influence  of  Ministers— All  should  Sing— Dr.  OHn — Bishops 
Coke  and  Asbury  on  Singing — George  Dougherty  in  Charleston, 


XII 


CONTENTS. 


S.  C. — Felix  Neff— What  Chrysostom  says — Augustin — Mel- 
vill  —  Luther — Cotton  Mather's  Remark — What  McCheyne 
says — Furber's  Remarks  to  Ministers — The  Orator — The  Ant — 
The  Word  of  God— His  Works  


SECTION  IL— HOW  SHOULD  WE  SING  ? 


CHAPTER  I. 

CHOIRS. 

Definition  of  a  Choir — Choirs  obtained  under  the  Jewish  Dispensa- 
tion— Choirs  not  Popish  in  their  Origin — Not  necessarily  of 
Judaizing  Tendency — Paid  Choirs  Bearing  Burdens  —  Of  the 
Members  of  the  Choir — Place  for  the  Choir — Illustrative  Nar- 
rative— Putting  the  Singers  in  the  Gallery — Mostly  Plain  Tunes 
should  be  Sung — Aelredus'  Description — Singing  of  the  Col- 
ored People  in  Cities — Science  in  Music — The  Precentor — The 
Effect  of  Discord — The  Choir  should  Lead  w^hile  all  Sing — 
Productive  of  Great  Good  

CHAPTER  IL 

MELODY  AND  HARMONY. 

Definition — Origin  of  Counterpoint — Harmonizing  in  Germany — 
Mr.  Weber's  first  Objection  to  Harmony — His  second,  third, 
and  fourth  Objections — The  Power  of  Harmony  a  Divine  Gift-^ 
Treble  should  Predominate — Female  Voices — Male  Voices — 
Variety  of  Voice — The  Music  of  the  Spheres — Harmony  in  the 
Universe — Distinguished  Advocates  of  Harmony  

CHAPTER  III. 

FUGUE  TUNES  AND  ANTHEMS. 

Definition — Origin — Billings  introduced  Fugue  Tunes  into  American 
Churches — Objection  to  this  style  of  Music — John  Wesley  on 


CONTENTS. 


XIII 


Intricate  and  Undevout  Singing — Description  by  Rector  of  St. 
Bardolph's — General  Conference  of  1792 — Plain  Tunes — Dr. 
A.  Clarke's  Objection — What  has  been  said  in  favor  of  An- 
thems— To  what  extent  they  should  be  used — Vain  Repetitions.  187 

CHAPTER  IV. 

ADAPTATION  ARTICULATION  ACCENT  ATTITUDE. 

Tune  must  be  Adapted  to  the  Words — The  Song  must  be  Adapted 
to  the  Time,  Place  and  Occasion — Bishop  Pierce — Remarks  by 
N.  D.  Gould — Another  Illustrative  Instance — Spirit  which  Per- 
vades the  Singing — Want  of  Feeling  in  Singers — Importance 
of  a  Good  Articulation — Management  of  the  Voice — No  Music 
without  Accent — Management  of  the  Breath — A  Standing  Posi- 
tion Preferable — Dr.  Guthrie's  Remarks   196 

CHAPTER  V. 

INSTRUMENTAL  MUSIC. 

Invention  of  Musical  Instruments — Egypt  Claims  Precedence — Also 
the  Chinese — Devotion  of  the  Grecians  to  Music — Romans — 
Music  in  Great  Britain — The  Organ — Dr.  A.  Clarke  on  Instru- 
mental Music — Richard  Baxter's  View — Home  and  Richmond — 
What  Richard  Watson  says  —  David  —  Silence  of  Christ  and 
the  Apostles  on  the  subject — J.  Wesley's  advice  as  to  Organs — 
Portrait  of  a  Good  Organist — Various  kinds  of  Instruments — 
We  should  always  Sing  Spiritually — Church  Service  should  be 
Attractive — Objections  Neutralized — The  best  Arrangement. . .  223 

CHAPTER  VI. 

SPIRITUAL  SINGING. 

The  Young  Convert — Are  we  Prepared  to  Sing  in  Heaven? — 
Indifference — The  Psalmist  Praised  God  Heartily— Ardor  of 
the  Apostles  and  Early  Christians  — Heartfelt  Song  should 
Celebrate  the  later  Triumphs  of  the  Cross — Formality  in  Sing- 
ing the  Great  Evil — Science  in  Singing  should  be  Recognized. .  245 


XIV 


CONTENTS. 


SECTION  III.— WHAT  SHOULD  WE  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

SHOULD  WE  SING  PSALMS  EXCLUSIVELY? 

Presumption  in  favor  of  Compositions  of  Uninspired  Poets — View 
of  the Seceders — The  Title  of  the  Psalms — "Song  of  Songs " — 
Ralph  Erskine's  View  and  Conduct — Suitableness  of  Matter  for 
Praise  —  Testimony  of  Isaiah  —  Offering  Strange  Fire  — 
"Psalms,  Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs" — Example  of  Simeon, 
Anna  the  Prophetess,  etc. — Early  Christians — Common  Version 
and  Rous'  Compared  —  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland   254 

CHAPTER  II. 

UNINSPIRED  SACRED  LYRICS. 

Watts  and  Wesley — Opinion  of  John  Wesley — Dr.  Abel  Stevens' 
estimate  of  Charles  Wesley — Hymns  on  Hohness — Life-long 
Devotion  of  the  Wesleys  to  Sacred  Song — Reservoirs  of  Sacred 
Poetry — Merits  of  the  Hymn-book  of  M.  E.  Church,  South — 
Singing  Hymns  of  Praise — Other  collections  of  Hymns  and 
Songs — Hymns  and  Songs  too  little  Read  and  Studied — Brief 
Sketches  of  Hymn  Writers — Great  Volume  of  Sacred  Song  not 
yet  Complete   282 


SECTION  IV.— W^HY  SHOULD  WE  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

WE  SHOULD  PRAISE  GOD  FOR  WHAT  HE  IS  IN  HIMSELF 
AND  FOR  WHAT  HE    IS  TO  US. 

What  constitutes  the  Glory  of  God  ? — The  work  of  Creation  proves 
God  to  be  Omnipotent — His  power  as  great  in  the  Moral  as  in 
the  Natural  World — The  Wisdom  of  God  commensurate  with 


CONTENTS. 


XV 


His  Power — God  is  Love — The  Mercy  of  God  the  most  at- 
tractive form  of  His  Goodness — We  are  overwhelmed  with 
emotion  when  wc  consider  what  God  is  to  us   308 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE    POWER    OF  SONG. 

It  banishes  the  evil  Spirit  from  Saul — Tyrtaeus — What  Terpander 
did  with  the  Spartans — Alexander — Amabeus,  the  Harper — 
The  Abyssinian  Trumpet — William  the  Conqueror — Effect  of 
Music  on  Murad  IV. — Music  at  the  battle  of  Quebec  in  1760 — 
Haydn  moved  to  tears — The  Theatre — The  Starving  l.ion 
Charmed — The  Singing  of  Cookman — Singing  by  Soldiers  in 
Mexico  —  Effeo.t  of  a  Song  on  an  Actress — Song  at  Camp- 
meeting  The   Grey-headed   Gambler  The  Nobleman's 

Daughter — Reasons  why  we  should  Sing — "Sing  Praises  to 
God!  Sing  Praises!"   319 


INTRODUCTION. 


We  had  the  pleasure  of  perusing  the  manuscript 
of  this  work  when  it  was  first  written.  Circum- 
stances prevented  the  publication  of  the  work  at 
the  time,  and  the  author  has  availed  himself  of 
the  delay  in  making  important  additions  to  it. 
'We  are  glad  it  is  now  to  appear  in  print.  We 
bespeak  for  it  a  wide  circulation,  as  it  is  eminently 
good  to  the  use  of  edifying.  We  rejoice  in  every 
efifort  put  forth  to  increase  an  interest  in  the 
"Service  of  song  in  the  house  of  the  Lord." 

The  cuUus  of  the  Church  in  this  country  has 
been  very  defective  in  this  matter.  We  do  not 
mean  that  we  have  not  a  sufficiently  copious  and 
suitable  Psalmody.  In  this  respect  the  Church — 
the  Methodist  Church  in  particular — is  well  en- 
dowed. 

There  is  the  inspired  Psalter,  together  with  the 
beautiful  canticles  interspersed  through  the  Bible, 
which  might  be  sung  and  chanted  greatly  to  the 

2 


XVIII  INTRODUCTION. 

edification  of  the  Church.  The  translators  of  our 
authorized  version  of  the  Bible  were  singularly 
happy  in  rendering  these  inspired  hymns ;  and 
we  like  to  hear  them  sung  in  the  nohle  words 
which  have  been  hallowed  by  the  use  of  English- 
speaking  Christians  for  centuries. 

Imitations  of  these  songs  of  Zion  were  used  by 
the  Church  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and  so 
have  they  been  in  every  succeeding  age. 

Pliny,  writing  to  Trajan,  says  the  Christians 
were  accustomed  to  meet  together  on  a  stated  day, 
before  it  was  light,  and  to  sing  a  hymn  to  Christ, 
as  to  a  god,  alternately. 

The  earliest  Christian  hymn  which  has  come 
down  to  our  times  was  written  in  Greek,  by 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,  who  flourished  about  a 
hundred  years  after  the  death  of  John  the  Evan- 
gelist. It  is  a  pleasing  and  suggestive  fact,  that 
that  hymn  was  composed  for  the  children  of  the 
Church.  It  is  found  in  his  Pedagogue.  An  old 
Latin  version  is  sometimes  bound  up  with  it.  A 
rough  version  of  a  portion  of  it  may  be  found  in 
our  "Hymns  for  Schools  and  Families,"  begin- 
ning, "  Shepherd  of  tender  youth." 


INTRODUCTION.  XIX 

As  songs  and  ballads  are  the  most  effective 
veliicles  of  instruction  and  influence,  so  that 
Andrew  Fletcher,  of  Saltoun,  is  reported  to  have 
said  that  he  cared  not  who  wrote  the  laws  of  the 
nation,  if  he  might  write  its  ballads,  we  need 
not  Vv'onder  that  they  were  largely  employed  for 
this  purpose,  as  well  as  for  the  expression  of 
devotional  sentiment,  in  the  Primitive  Church. 

When  the  Arians  availed  themselves  of  this 
potent  instrumentality  for  the  spread  of  their 
heresy,  Chrysostom  counteracted  them  by  furnish- 
ing orthodox  hymns  for  the  use  of  the  faithful. 

Angus  tin,  in  the  Western  Church,  made  a  hymn 
in  imitation  of  Psalm  cxix.,  to  check  the  Donatists, 
who  composed  hymns  for  the  propagation  of  their 
errors. 

Before  his  time,  Hilary,  Bishop  of  Poictiers,  and 
Prudentius,  a  Spaniard,  composed  Latin  hymns, 
which  were  extensively  used  in  the  Western 
Church. 

The  Trisagion,  or  Cherubical  Hymn,  in  its  sim- 
plest form,  has  come  down  to  us,  perhaps,  from 
the  third  century.    It  is  found  in  the  so-called 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

Apostolical  Constitutions,  as  is  tlie  Gloria  in  Ex- 
cels is. 

The  Gloria  Patri  was  introduced  to  check  the 
Arian  heresy. 

The  Te  Deum  was  probably  composed  by 
Mcetus,  Bishop  of  Triers,  in  Gaul,  in  the  sixth 
century,  and  has  been  in  nearly  universal  use 
ever  since. 

During  the  Middle  Ages  the  piety  of  the  Church, 
almost  smothered  as  it  was  by  superstition,  flamed 
forth  occasionally  in  such  productions  as  the 
Sta'bat  Mater^  Dies  Irce^  etc.,  which  have  been 
translated  into  the  modern  tongues.  They  are 
venerable  relics  of  those  dark  centuries ;  but 
neither  they  nor  the  Hymns  of  the  Primitive 
Church  are  likely  to  come  much  into  popular  use. 

At  the  time  of  the  Reformation  the  sacred  muse 
was  invoked  more  than  ever  before.  Luther  com- 
posed many  fine  hymns  in  German,  as  well  as 
tunes,  which  became  very  popular. 

Clement  Marot,  groom  of  the  bed-chamber  of 
Francis  I.,  and  Theodore  Beza  versified  the  Psalms 
in  French,  and  had  tunes  set  to  them. 

Thomas  Sternliold,  one  of  the  grooms  of  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

bed-chamber  of  Edward  YI.,  Jobn  Hopkins,  and 
others,  versified  the  Psalter  in  English.  Their 
version,  rough  as  it  is,  became  popular  in  England. 

A  version  was  afterward  made  by  Francis  Rous, 
Provost  of  Eton  under  the  Commonwealth,  which 
subsequently  became,  and  still  continues  to  be,  the 
authorized  Psalmody  of  the  Scottish  Churches. 

In  1696,  Nahum  Tate,D.D.,  Poet  Laureate,  and 
Nicholas  Brady,  D.  D.,  Yicar  of  Stratford-on-Avon, 
published  *'A  New  Version  of  the  Psalms  of 
David,"  which  took  the  place  of  the  version  of 
Sternhold  and  Hopkins  in  the  Church  of  England, 
and  is  still  used  by  that  Church  and  its  offshoots. 

"  The  Psalms  of  David,  imitated  in  the  language 
of  the  New  Testament,"  by  Dr.  Isaac  Watts,  was 
published  in  1719,  and,  with  his  "  Hymns  and 
Spiritual  Songs,"  became  very  popular,  especially 
among  English  Dissenters.  They  are  a  lasting 
heritage  to  all  English-speaking  Churches. 

Charles  Wesley  and  other  members  of  the  Wes- 
ley family  versified  the  Psalter,  a  few  Psalms  ex- 
cepted, and  wrote  thousands  of  hymns,  many  of 
which  surpass  all  other  uninspired  songs. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  refer  to  the  hundreds  of 


XXII  INTKODUCTION. 

other  sacred  poets  wlio  have  tested  the  powers  of 
'  onr  nohle  tongue  to  enrich  the  service  of  song  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord. 

It  is  impossible  to  overstate  the  importance  of 
this  delightful  part  of  the  worship  of  the  Church. 
There  is  not  a  doctrine  or  duty  of  our  holy  religion 
that  is  not  inculcated  in  the  most  winning  manner 
by  holy  song. 

In  David's  Psalter  we  have  Psalms  "to  give 
instruction,"  and  "to  bring  to  remembrance," 
didactic  and  historical  Psalms,  which  were  used  in 
the  tabernacle,  temple,  and  synagogue  worship. 

The  reformers  of  the  age,  who  would  exclude 
all  but  distinctively  devotional  hymns,  make  a 
great  mistake.  The  Jewish  Church  and  the  Primi- 
tive Christian  Church,  as  we  have  seen,  availed 
themselves  of  the  power  of  song  to  inform  the 
mind,  as  well  as  to  inflame  the  affections.  It  is 
easy  enough  to  adapt  suitable  tunes  to  hymns  of 
a  didactic  character.  Such  hymns  may  be  sung 
with  good  effect  immediately  before  sermon. 

Then  there  are  subjective  and  hortatory  hymns, 
which,  used  after  sermon,  enforce  the  subject-mat- 
ter of  the  discourse  with  singular  power.  Indeed, 


INTRODUCTION.  XXIH 

such  liymns  not  unfrequently  put  the  minds  of 
the  hearers  into  a  proper  frame  to  receive  the 
word,  and  should  be  used  accordingly. 

It  is  eminently  proper  to  open  public  worship 
with  hymns  of  a  highly  devotional  character,  not 
only  because  it  is  our  duty  to  worship  the  Lord 
in  the  beauty  of  holiness,"  to  "  come  into  his  pres- 
ence with  thanksgiving  and  make  a  joyful  noise 
unto  him  with  psalms,"  "  to  show  forth  his  loving- 
kindness  and  faithfulness  upon  an  instrument  of 
ten  strings,  upon  the  harp  with  a  solemn  sound," 
or  with  such  other  accessories  as  we  can  command, 
but  because  nothing  so  readily  exorcises  the 
worldly  spirit,  and  puts  us  into  a  frame  for  all  the 
other  duties  of  the  sanctuary,  as  songs  of  praise 
and  thanksgiving.  The  evil  spirit  departed  from 
Saul  when  David  played  his  harp.  Elisha  calmed 
his  own  troubled  spirit,  when  it  had  been  ruffled 
by  the  presence  of  the  impious  King  of  Israel,  by 
sacred  minstrelsy.  "While  the  minstrel  played, 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  came  upon  the  prophet,  and 
he  prophesied.  What  preacher  has  not  felt  the 
mighty  influence  of  an  inspiring  song,  attuning 
his  spirit  for  his  holy  work ! 


XXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

Dr.  Jolmson  never  committed  a  greater  mistake 
than  wlien  he  said,  in  his  Life  of  Br.  Watts :  "  His 
devotional  poetry  is  like  that  of  others — unsatis- 
factory. The  paucity  of  its  topics  enforces  per- 
petual repetition,  and  the  sanctity  of  the  matter 
rejects  the  ornaments  of  figurative  diction.  It  is 
sufficient  for  Watts  to  have  done  better  than  others, 
what  no  man  has  done  well."  In  saying  this,  he 
reproves  others  beside  Watts  and  other  uninspired 
poets.  One  would  think  the  great  Leviathan  of 
English  literature  had  never  read  David's  Psalter, 
the  Benedicite^  the  Benedictus,  the  Magnificat^  the 
Nunc  DimitUs^  and  the  rapturous  canticles  of  the 
Apocalypse,  phonographed  by  the  Eagle-evangel- 
ist, who  caught  the  volumes  of  holy  song,  as  they 
burst  from  the  heavenly  cJioristers  and  the  "  harp- 
ers harping  with  their  harps!"  Strange  to  say, 
Johnson  could  never  read  a  certain  stanza  of  the 
Dies  IrcB  without  the  most  powerful  emotion ! 

But,  not  to  be  prolix,  we  express  the  hope  that 
this  excellent  treatise  will  have  a  wide  circulation, 
and  that  its  perusal  will  bring  into  more  general 
use  the  incomparable  hymns  which  constitute  the 
authorized  Psalmody  of  our  Communion,  and  at 


INTRODUCTION. 


XXV 


the  same  time  promote  "  the  service  of  song"  in 
all  the  churches  of  the  saints. 

We  hope,  too,  that  it  will  promote  the  revival 
of  domestic  psalmody,  that  delightful  part  of  the 
v^orship  of  "  the  Church  in  the  house,"  v^^hich  has, 
unhappily,  gone  greatly  into  desuetude  among  us. 

Nothing  so  identifies  us  with  the  worshipers  in 
the  upper  temple,  nothing  so  prepares  us  to  join 
in  their  worship,  nay,  "  to  mend  the  choirs  above," 
as  to  sing  praises  unto  God  while  we  have  any 
being  on  the  earth. 

The  songs  of  the  temple  voice  out  the  harmony 
of  the  spheres,  and  constitute  the  sweetest  music 
in  the  orchestra  of  the  universe. 

There's  not  the  smallest  orb  which  thou  beholdst, 
But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings, 
Still  quiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubim, 
Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  souls. 

Happy  those  whose  spirits  chime  in  with  this 
divine  minstrelsy !  "  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell 
in  thy  house ;  they  will  be  still  praising  thee !" 

"  Let  my  due  feet  never  fail"  to  go  "  to  the  house 
of  God,  v/ith  the  voice  of  joy  and  praise,  with  the 
multitude  that  keep  holy-day." 

There  let  the  pealing  organ  blow 

To  the  full-voiced  quire  below. 

In  service  high,  and  anthems  clear. 

As  may  with  sweetness  through  mine  ear. 

Dissolve  me  into  ecstasies, 

And  bring  all  heaven  before  mine  eyes ! 

Thomas  O.  Summees. 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  January  5, 1871. 


i 


» 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SO^^G. 


GEiS'ERAL  SCRIPTURAL  VIEW. 


When  the  corner-stone  of  the  earth  was  laid, 
"  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons 
of  God  shouted  for  j  oy."  Long  prior  to  this  grand 
event,  it  had  been  the  delight  of  the  angels  to 
sing  their  Maker's  praise.  Hence,  when  they  saw 
this  magnificent  globe  emerging  out  of  chaos,  as  a 
brilliant  reflector  of  the  Divine  perfections,  they 
gave  expression  to  their  emotions  in  the  loftiest 
strains  of  adoration. 

In  due  time  the  first  holy  and  happy  pair  are 
created,  and  enter  upon  their  delectable  inherit- 
ance. God  himself  communes  with  them,  and 
the  angels  who  held  jubilee  at  the  sunrise  of 
time  pay  frequent  visits  to  this  Elysium,  and 
celebrate  in  song  the  praises  of  Him  who  has 
spread  out  a  scene  so  fair. 

The  sun  by  day,  and  the  moon  and  stars  by 
night,  serve  as  shining  preachers  to  the  devout 
dwellers  below;  and  the  perpetual  sermon  is 


28 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


amplified  and  rendered  still  more  emphatic  by  tlie 
beauty  and  innocency  of  beasts  and  birds,  by  the 
verdure  and  llowers  which  garnish  this  lovely 
domain,  by  crystal  streams  as  they  roll  over 
golden  sands,  and  even  by  the  atmosphere  itself, 
which  is  as  pure  and  balmy  as  breezes  from  the 
heavenly  fields. 

Can  the  hearts  of  this  thrice  happy  pair  remain 
unmoved?  Can  they  behold  this  wondrous  ex- 
hibition of  their  Father's  love,  or  can  they  con- 
template their  present  felicity  and  the  bliss  which 
awaits  them,  without  uniting  in  the  general  chorus 
of  praise  ?    Can  they  refrain  as 

"  The  morn,  her  rosy  steps  in  the  Eastern  dime 
Advancing,  sows  the  earth  with  Orient  pearls?" 

Can  they  hold  their  peace  as  the  tranquil  evening 
puts  on  her  star-gemmed  mantle  ?  Silence  under 
such  circumstances,  if  not  impossible,  is  in  the 
highest  degree  unnatural.  Sing  they  must,  and 
well  has  Milton  suggested  as  the  words  of  their 
song  his  noble  paraphrase  of  the  one  hundred 
and  forty- eighth  Psalm,  and  beautifully  has  he 
described  their  worship : 

**  Lowly  they  bowed,  adoring,  and  began 
Their  orisons,  each  morning  duly  paid 
In  various  style:  for  neither  various  style 
Nor  holy  rapture  wanted  they  to  praise 
Their  Maker,  in  fit  strains  pronounced,  or  surig 
Unmeditated ;  such  prompt  eloquence 
Flow'd  from  their  lips  in  prose,  or  numerous  verse, 
More  tunable  than  needed  lute,  or  harp, 
To  add  more  sweetness." 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


29 


Alas,  that  tliis  delightful  song  should  so  soon 
give  place  to  the  voice  of  wailing!  Alas,  that 
those  who  have  been  so  highly  exalted  should 
experience  so  sad  a  fall ! 

But  the  promised  "Seed  of  the  woman"  fur- 
nishes both  men  and  angels  with  a  new  theme  for 
praise.  The  Atonement  converts  the  thorns  and 
briars  of  the  fall  into  a  wreath  of  amaranth  for 
Emmanuel's  brow — the  lamentations  of  the  lost 
into  j  oyful  hosannas.  Grateful  songs  ascend  from 
this  cursed  and  blighted  earth  to  the  Father  of 
mercies. 

In  the  Book  of  Genesis,  covering  a  period  of 
more  than  two  thousand  years,  there  is  no  posi- 
tive mention  made  of  devotional  music ;  but  we 
are  not  left  without  significant  intimations.  If 
the  first  unhappy  pair  trusted  in  a  Savior  to  come 
and  were  reclaimed  from  their  grievous  fall,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  again  sang  the 
songs  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed  in  Eden, 
and  that  to  these  they  added  hymns  referring  to 
the  glorious  scheme  of  Redemption. 

It  is  exceedingly  probable  that  music,  vocal 
and  instrumental,  was  used  in  the  service  of  God 
in  the  early  ages  of  the  world.  Yocal  music  must 
have  preceded  instrumental.  The  human  voice, 
the  most  perfect  of  all  instruments,  was  first  found 
to  be  capable  of  producing  harmonious  sounds, 
and,  in  the  course  of  time,  these  were  reproduced 
by  artificial  means.    Men  would  not  attempt  to 


30 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


avail  themselves  of  adventitious  aids  before  using 
the  faculties  with  which  they  were  endowed  by 
nature.  As  well  might  we  conceive  that  they 
w^ould  invent  the  lever  and  the  telescope  before 
having  used  the  arm  or  the  eye,  as  to  suppose 
that  they  would  practice  on  musical  instruments 
before  having  attuned  the  voice  to  melody. 

For  the  space  of  five  hundred  years,  as  it  would 
seem,  the  human  voice  alone  was  employed  in 
praise ;  then  Jubal,  the  father  of  all  such  as  handle 
the  harp  and  the  organ — the  inventor,  doubtless, 
of  stringed  and  wind  instruments — was  born ;  and, 
for  aught  w^e  know  to  the  contrary,  the  first  mel- 
lifluous strains  of  the  harp  and  the  organ  were 
consecrated  to  God. 

The  first  sacred  song  of  which  we  have  any 
account  is  that  which  was  sung  by  the  Israelites 
on  the  occasion  of  their  triumphant  passage  of 
the  Red  Sea.  Having  escaped  from  their  cruel 
taskmasters,  they  fly  before  Pharaoh  and  his  host. 
We  behold,  with  glad  surprise,  the  receding  waters 
as  they  leave  a  highway  for  the  faithful  fugitives. 
Now  they  throng  the  safe  shore,  while  their  foes 
are  overwhelmed  by  the  returning  waves.  The 
Egyptians  whom  they  have  seen  to-day  they  shall 
see  again  no  more  forever. 

Then  sang  Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel  this 
song:  "  The  Lord  hath  triumphed  gloriously  :  the 
horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown  into  the  sea. 
The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  song,  and  He  is 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


31 


become  m}^  salvation :  He  is  my  God,  and  I  will 
prepare  Him  an  habitation  ;  my  fathers'  God,  and 
I  will  exalt  Him,"  etc. 

This  fine  ode  contains  a  cheering  prophecy  of 
the  effect  of  this  tremendous  judgment  on  the 
idolatrous  nations  of  Edom,  Moab  and  Canaan, 
the  final  settlement  of  the  Israelites  in  the  prom- 
ised land,  the  building  of  the  temple  on  Mount 
Zion,  and  the  perpetuity  of  the  dominion  and 
worship  of  God.  In  allusion  to  the  event  which 
this  song  commemorates,  the  Psalmist,  addressing 
the  Deity,  says:  "Thy  way  is  in  the  sea,  Thy 
paths  in  the  great  waters,  and  Thy  footsteps  are 
not  known.  Thou  leddest  Thy  people  like  a  flock 
by  the  hand  of  Moses  and  Aaron." 

Powerful,  indeed,  must  have  been  the  im- 
pression produced  by  the  singing  of  this,  the 
earliest  lyric  poem  extant.  Let  us  listen  for  a 
moment  to  the  jubilant  notes  of  the  glad  thous- 
ands who  stand  on  the  banks  of  deliverance." 
These  glowing  sentiments,  made  thrillingly  em- 
phatic by  the  vocal  and  instrumental  music  to 
which  they  were  joined,  should  live  everlastingly 
in  the  hearts  of  the  Israelites. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  whole  company  were 
divided  into  two  grand  choirs,  in  which  Moses  and 
Aaron  led  the  men,  and  Miriam  the  women.  It 
seems,  also,  that  they  sang  by  turns,  and  with 
variations  of  soft  and  loud,  adapted  to  the  senti- 
ments of  the  ode ;  the  males,  led  by  Moses  or 


32 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


Aaron,  or  both,  singing  tlie  song,  while  Miriam, 
presiding  over  the  female  part  of  the  choir  and 
the  instruments,  called  in  their  aid  to  swell  the 
chorus  by  repeating  the  first  stanza  of  the  ode. 
Hence  it  is  said :  "  Miriam  answered  them,  ^  Sing 
ye  to  the  Lord,  for  He  hath  triumphed  gloriously ; 
the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown  into  the 
sea.' " 

Shortly  after  the  Israelites  commenced  their 
wanderings  through  the  wilderness,  the  Taber- 
nacle was  set  up  by  the  command  of  God ;  and, 
according  to  His  direction,  the  Levites  were  set 
apart  for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary.  Al- 
though we  have  no  positive  evidence  of  the  fact, 
yet  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  at  this  time 
singers  and  players  on  instruments  were  regularly 
appointed. 

Moses  was  gathered  to  his  fathers  in  sight  of 
the  promised  possession,  at  the  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years.  Previous  to  his  departure 
he  composed  a  song,  setting  forth  both  the  good- 
ness and  the  justice  of  God.  It  commences  thus : 
"  Give  ear,  0  ye  heavens,  and  I  will  speak :  and 
hear,  0  earth,  the  words  of  my  mouth.  My  doc- 
trine shall  drop  as  the  rain,  my  speech  shall  distill 
as  the  dew,  as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender 
herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass :  Because 
I  will  publish  tlie  name  of  the  Lord;  ascribe  ye 
greatness  unto  our  God." 

About  one  thousand  three  hundred  years  B.  C. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


33 


the  Lord  sold  the  children  of  Israel  into  the  hand 
of  Jabin,  King  of  Canaan,  as  a  judgment  for  their 
evil  deeds.  Jabin  oppressed  them  for  twenty 
years,  but  at  length  they  cried  to  God  and  He 
delivered  them.  The  entire  army  of  the  Canaan- 
itos  v^as  slain  cn  the  Held,  except  Sisera,  the  cap- 
tain of  the  host,  who  fled  away  on  his  feet  to  the 
tent  of  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite.  Being 
weary,  and  feeling  secure  from  his  pursuers,  this 
war-chief  fell  asleep.  Then  Jael,  Heber's  wife, 
took  a  nail  and  a  hammer,  and  went  softly  to  him 
and  smote  the  nail  into  his  temples,  and  fastened 
it  into  the  ground.  Here  was  a  glorious  deliver- 
ance for  Israel,  and  the  story  of  triumph  should 
be  embalmed  in  thankful  song,  which  is  done  most 
admirably  by  Deborah,  the  prophetess  :  "At  her 
feet  he  bowed,  he  fell,  he  lay  down ;  at  her  feet  he 
bowed,  he  fell :  where  he  bowed,  there  he  fell 
down  dead.  The  mother  of  Sisera  looked  out  at 
a  window  and  cried  through  the  lattice,  '  Why  is 
his  chariot  so  long  in  coming?  why  tarry  the 
wheels  of  his  chariot  ?'  " 

"  From  this  song,  as  well  as  that  of  Moses 
(Deut.  xxxii.),  we  see  that  the  first  as  well  as  the 
best  poets  of  antiquity  were  found  among  the 
Hebrews,  and  that  the  art  of  poetry  was  highly 
cultivated  among  them  many  hundreds  of  years 
before  Greece  or  any  other  country  of  the  world 
could  boast  of  ode,  or  epic,  or  any  kind  of  poetic 

composition.    The  idolizers  of  Greece  and  Italy 
3 


34 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


should  not  forget  tliis  :  to  Hebrew  models  both 
Greeks  and  Romans  owe  much  of  their  perfection. 
Why  are  not  these  more  studied  ?  Why  do  we 
not  go  to  the  fountain-head?"^^ 

Then  we  have  the  forcible  and  elegant  song  of 
Hannah,  the  prophetess,  expressive  of  her  grati- 
tude to  God  for  the  gift  of  her  son  Samuel. 

About  four  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  the 
transit  of  the  Ked  Sea,  the  Tabernacle  service  was 
more  fully  organized.  David,  being  securely  estab- 
lished upon  his  throne  in  Jerusalem,  determined, 
in  accordance  with  the  Divine  will,  to  remove  the 
Ark  from  the  city  of  Nob  to  the  hill  of  Zion.  On 
the  occasion  of  the  transportation  the  Levites 
sung  the  Psalm  commencing :  "  Let  God  arise,  let 
His  enemies  be  scattered,  let  them  also  that  hate 
Him  flee  before  Him ;"  while  "  David  and  all 
Israel  played  before  God  with  all  their  might,  and 
with  singing,  and  with  harps,  and  with  psalteries, 
and  with  timbrels,  and  with  cymbals,  and  with 
trumpets." 

But  this  attempt  to  bring  up  the  Ark  to  Jerusa- 
lem was  unsuccessful.  God  had  commanded  that 
it  should  be  borne  on  the  priests'  shoulders.  In- 
stead of  this,  David  had  placed  it  upon  a  new 
cart  drawn  by  oxen ;  and  Uzza  having  been  smitten 
with  instant  death  for  profanely  touching  the  Ark, 
even  David  became  afraid  of  the  Divine  vengeance, 
and  the  vast  multitude  being  dismissed,  the  Ark 

*Dr.  A.  Clarke. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


35 


was  deposited  in  tlie  Louse  of  Obed-Edom,  where 
it  remained  for  three  months.  The  second  attempt 
to  remove  the  Ark  resulted  favorably.  It  was  a 
solemn  occasion,  although  not  less  jubilant  than 
the  first.  While  the  priests  bore  the  Ark  tlie  sing- 
ers sung  or  chanted  that  appropriate  ode  :  "  Lord, 
remember  David  and  all  his  afflictions,  how  he 
sware  unto  the  Lord,  and  vowed  unto  the  mighty 
God  of  Jacob,  saying,  I  will  not  come  into  the 
tabernacle  of  my  house,  nor  go  up  into  my  bed, 
I  will  not  give  sleep  to  mine  eyes,  or  slumber  to 
mine  eye-lids,  till  I  find  out  a  place  for  the  Lord, 
a  habitation  for  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob." 

Everything  pertaining  to  the  service  of  God  was 
now  arranged  in  a  proper  and  imposing  manner. 

"  David,  in  order  to  give  the  best  effect  to  the 
music  of  the  Tabernacle,  divided  the  four  thous- 
and Levites  into  twenty-four  classes,  who  sung 
Psalms  and  accompanied  them  with  music.  Each 
of  these  classes  was  superintended  by  a  leader 
placed  over  it,  and  they  performed  the  duties 
which  devolved  upon  them,  each  class  a  week  at 
a  time  in  succession.  The  classes  collectively,  as 
a  united  body,  were  superintended  by  three  direc- 
tors. This  arrangement  was  subsequently  contin- 
ued by  Solomon  after  the  erection  of  the  temple, 
and  was  transmitted  till  the  time  of  the  overthrow 
of  Jerusalem.  It  was,  indeed,  sometimes  inter- 
rupted during  the  reigns  of  the  idolatrous  kings, 
but  was  restored  by  their  successors.    It  should 


36 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


be  remarked,  however,  tliat  \eitlier  music  nor 
poetry  attained  to  the  same  excellence  after  the 
captivity  as  before  that  period. 

"  There  were  women  singers  as  well  as  men  in 
the  temple  choir,  for  in  the  Book  of  Ezra,  among 
those  who  returned  from  the  Babylonish  captivity, 
there  are  said  to  have  been  two  hundred  and  forty- 
five  singing  men  and  women.  The  Jewish  doctors 
will,  indeed,  by  no  means  admit  that  there  were 
any  female  voices  in  the  temple  choir ;  and  as  for 
those  meshorerotli^  as  they  are  called  in  the  He- 
brew, they  suppose  them  to  be  the  wives  of  those 
who  sung.  Nevertheless,  the  following  passage 
makes  it  evident  that  women,  likewise,  were  thus 
employed :  '  God  gave  to  Ileman  fourteen  sons  and 
three  daughters ;  and  all  these  were  under  the 
hands  of  their  father  for  song  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  with  cymbals,  psalteries,  and  harps,  for  the 
service  of  the  house  of  God.'  "  ^ 

"  It  w^as  for  the  raising  up  of  men's  hearts  and 
the  sweetening  of  their  affections  toward  God  that 
the  prophet  David,  having  had  singular  knowledge, 
not  in  poetry  alone,  but  in  music  also,  judged 
them  both  to  be  things  most  necessary  for  the 
house  of  God."  f 

It  seems  that  David  was  raised  up  and  qualified 
to  establish  the  ordinance  of  singing  in  the  Church, 
as  Moses  and  Aaron  were  in  their  day  for  the  pur- 

*  Richard  Watson.  t  Hooker. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


37 


pose  of  enforcing  and  regulating  tlie  offering  of 
sacrifices ;  hence  he  is  called,  by  eminence,  "  the 
Sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel." 

We  have  now  reached,  in  our  review,  the  golden 
age  of  Hebrew  poetry  and  song.  David  is  in  the 
zenith  of  his  glory,  and  the  high  praises  of  God 
are,  doubtless,  celebrated  in  a  more  becoming  and 
impressive  manner  than  at  any  time  since  the 
exile  from  Paradise.  At  this  point  we  might  tarry 
long.  We  might  speak  of  the  heaven-inspired 
poems  of  David  and  the  other  "Bards  of  the 
Bible,"  and  we  might  dwell  upon  the  music  of 
the  Hebrews  in  general — their  military,  festive 
and  funeral  music.  "We  might  speak  of  King 
Jehoshaphat,  who,  as  a  means  of  insuring  victory, 
on  going  out  to  battle  against  the  Moabites  and 
the  Ammonites,  '*  appointed  singers  unto  the  Lord, 
and  that  should  praise  the  beauty  of  holiness  as 
they  went  out  before  the  army,  and  to  say,  Praise 
the  Lord,  for  His  mercy  endureth  forever."  We 
might  speak  of  the  enthusiastic  welcome  of  David 
by  the  fair  minstrels  of  Judea  after  his  victory 
over  the  Philistines,  as  it  is  said,  "'  the  women 
answered  one  another  as  they  played,  and  said, 
Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands,  and  David  his  ten 
thousands."  We  might  listen  with  delight  to  the 
animating  strains  which  greet  the  Prodigal  Son 
on  his  return  to  his  father's  house  ;  or  we  might, 
with  weeping,  respond  to  the  wails  of  sorrow 
which  tell  us  of  the  decease  of  Jairus'  dauo-hter. 


-38 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


But  our  plan  looks  more  particularly  to  Jewish 
sacred  music. 

There  was  singing  as  w^ell  as  prayer  at  the 
dedication  of  the  temple  built  by  Solomon ;  and 
if  the  prayer  offered  up  by  the  royal  architect  was 
memorable,  so  the  musical  service  was  transcend- 
ently  imposing.  This  might  have  been  expected 
from  the  immense  size  and  surpassing  splendor 
of  the  edifice,  the  number  of  persons  employed 
in  its  erection,  the  length  of  time  occupied  in 
collecting  the  materials  and  completing  the  struc- 
ture, the  sacred  uses  to  which  it  was  to  be  devoted, 
and  the  general  and  joyful  expectation  with  which 
the  opening  of  so  celebrated  a  building  had  been 
anticipated. 

Josephus  says  that  "  two  hundred  thousand 
musicians  were  employed  at  the  opening  of  the 
temple."  This  we  may  consider  an  exaggeration ; 
but  even  if  we  deduct  three-fourths  from  the  esti- 
mate, the  number  w^ill  still  be  astonishingly  great — 
well  befitting  the  grandeur  of  the  occasion. 

The  following  is  the  Scriptural  account :  The 
Levites  w^hicli  were  singers,  all  of  them  of  Asaph, 
of  Heman,  of  Jeduthun,  w^itli  their  sons  and  their 
brethren,  being  arrayed  in  wliite  linen,  having 
cymbals,  and  psalteries,  and  harps,  stood  at  the 
east  end  of  the  altar,  and  with  them  a  hundred 
and  twenty  priests  sounding  with  trumpets.  It 
came  to  pass,  as  the  trumpeters  and  singers  were 
as  one,  to  make  one  sound  to  be  heard  in  praising 


THE  SEEYIOE  OF  SOXG. 


39 


and  tlianking  tlie  Lord ;  and  when  tliey  lifted  up 
tlieir  voices  with  the  trumpets  and  cymbals  and 
instruments  of  music,  and  praised  the  Lord,  say- 
ing. For  He  is  good ;  for  His  mercy  enduretli  for- 
ever, that  then  the  house  was  filled  with  a  cloud, 
even  the  house  of  the  Lord ;  so  that  the  priests 
could  not  stand  to  minister  by  reason  of  the  cloud ; 
for  the  glory  of  the  Lord  had  filled  the  house  of 
God."^ 

It  is  supposed  that  portions  of  the  song-ser- 
vice in  the  tabernacle,  and  subsequently  in  the 
temple,  were  executed  by  the  Levites  alone,  w^hile 
some  pieces  were  sung  in  alternate  parts  by  them 
and  by  the  people,  the  whole  multitude  lifting  up 
their  voices  in  chorus.  In  general,  however,  when 
the  praise  of  Jehovah  was  celebrated,  the  entire 
body  of  worshipers  joined  in  the  exercise. 

"  The  singing  of  the  ancient  Hebrews  was  differ- 
ent from  the  cantillation  practiced  by  the  modern 
Jews  in  their  synagogues  ;  and  although  much 
simpler  than  the  artistic  music  of  these  days,  there 
being  but  a  single  part,  sung  by  all  alike,  only 
three,  four,  or  five  notes  higher  or  lower,  according 
to  the  range  of  the  singer's  voice  ;  and  though 
louder  and  harsher  than  the  modern  taste  would 
approve,  still,  doubtless,  great  musical  effects  were 
often  produced.  Take,  for  example,  the  singing  of 
the  one  hundred  and  thirty-sixth  Psalm.  In  this 
Psalm  the  people  were  invited  to  praise  Jehovah 

*  2  Chron.  v.  1 2-14. 


40 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


as  the  God  of  j^atare,  and  as  tlie  Deliverer,  Guide, 
and  Provider  of  Israel.  At  the  close  of  every 
verse  there  is  tlie  regular  recurrence  of  a  burden 
or  refrain — 'for  His  mercy  endureth  forever' — 
which  was  sung  by  all  the  people  in  chorus. 
What  could  be  more  sublime  than  those  majestic 
responses  ?  Iii  clear,  sweet,  cultivated  tones,  the 
Levite  choir  chant,  '  0  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord, 
for  He  is  good,'  when  instantly  rises  from  the 
surging  mass,  like  the  voice  of  man}^  waters,  the 
commingled  notes  of  priests,  Levites,  people — 
vocal  and  instrumental — 'For  His  mercy  endur- 
eth forever!'  With  diminished  volume  again 
the  Levite  choir  is  heard :  '  0  give  thanks  to  the 
God  of  gods,'  when  the  firmament  again  resounds 
with  the  same  multitudinous  refrain — 'For  His 

MERCY  ENDURETH  FOREVER  !  '     Au  SO  OU  iu  reply 

to  each  separate  summons — 

"  '  O  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  of  lords  ; 

* '  *  For  His  mercy  endureth  forever  ! 

*'  *To  Him  who  alone  doeth  great  wonders; 

<<   Por  His  ?nercy  endiirei/i  forever/ 

"  *To  Him  that  by  wisdom  made  the  heavens; 

"  '  For  His  mercy  endureth  forever  f 

until  twenty-six  times,  in  answer  to  as  many  dis- 
tinct calls,  the  throng  have  sent  up  that  shout ; 
and  every  nerve  is  thrilling,  and  every  soul  is 
borne  onward  and  upward  on  the  tide  of  song  to- 
ward the  Infinite  Being  whose  perfections  and 
mercies  are  so  meetly  celebrated."^' 

*Rev.  J.  R.  Scott. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SON(}. 


41 


The  account  of  the  Babylonish  captivity  forma 
a  mournful  chapter  in  Jewish  history.  During 
their  exile  the  distress  of  the  pious  Hebrews  waa 
generally  too  great  to  admit  of  their  singing  the 
songs  of  Zion.  We  may  suppose,  however,  that 
they  occasionally  recovered  their  spirits  suffi- 
ciently to  engage  for  a  short  time  in  this  enliven- 
ing exercise.  A  most  affecting  picture  of  a  com- 
pany of  these  devoted  captives  is  drawn  by  the 
Psalmist.  The  day's  toils  and  sufferings  are 
ended,  and  they  have  assembled  on  the  bank  of 
some  stream,  perhaps  the  Euphrates — "  the  river 
of  willows."  They  have  taken  wdth  them  their 
musical  instruments,  and  are  follow^ed  by  some 
of  their  oppressors.  These  taskmasters  desire  to 
hear  the  delightful  music  for  which  the  Hebrews 
were,  no  doubt,  famed.  The  request  is,  "  Sing  us 
one  of  the  songs  of  Zion."  The  Israelites  com- 
mence an  old,  familiar  temple  hymn,  but  sad 
memories  of  Judea  and  Jerusalem  j)ass  like  dark 
waters  over  their  souls.  Their  hearts  are  filled 
with  sorrow  and  their  eyes  with  tears ;  their  voices 
falter  and  their  fingers  tremble  along  the  harp- 
strings,  as  they  call  to  mind  the  former  magnifi- 
cence of  the  sacred  city,  the  towers  and  bulwarks  of 
Salem,  and  the  frequent  opportunities  they  once 
enjoyed  of  going  up  with  the  multitude  to  w^orship 
the  Lord  and  to  behold  His  beauty  in  the  sanctuary. 
Jerusalem — "  beautiful  for  situation,  the  joy  of  the 
whole  earth" — has  been  laid  waste.    The  holy 


42 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


house  of  tlie  Lord  is  in  ruins,  and  the  sacred  hill 
is  profaned  by  the  idolatrous  heathen.  This  sor- 
rowful band  of  brethren  may  never  live  to  see  the 
year  of  release  :  they  may  never  again  gaze  upon 
the  vine-clad  hills  of  their  native  land,  nor  walk 
the  streets  of  the  city  of  their  solemnities.  Hence 
the  captive  Psalmist  says  : 

**  By  the  rivers  of  Babylon,  there  we  sat  down, 
Yea,  we  wept  when  we  remembered  Zion. 
We  hanged  our  harps  upon  the  willows  in  the  midst  thereof. 
For  there  they  that  carried  us  away  captive  required  of  us  a  song ; 
And  they  that  wasted  us  required  of  us  mirth. 
Saying,  Sing  us  one  of  the  songs  of  Zion. 
How  shall  we  sing  the  Lord's  song 
In  a  strange  land  ? 
If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem, 
Let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning. 
If  I  do  not  remember  thee, 
Let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth ; 
If  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy." 

Let  US  now  turn  to  the  bright  side  of  the  picture. 
These  peeled,  scattered  and  disconsolate  Israelites 
hail  with  transport  the  expiration  of  their  term 
of  bondage.  The  days  of  their  mourning  are 
ended,  and  they  commemorate  their  deliverance 
in  an  ode,  every  syllable  of  w^hich  is  burdened 
^yi^h  joy.  The  edict  of  emancipation  has  been 
published  by  Cyrus,  and  these  pious  patriots  are 
on  their  homeward  march.  Hear  the  jubilant 
notes  of  their  pilgrim  song : 

"  When  the  Lord  turned  again  the  captivity  of  Zion, 
We  were  like  them  that  dream. 


thp:  service  of  soxg. 


43 


Then  was  our  mouth  filled  with  laughter, 
And  our  tongue  with  singing: 
Then  said  they  among  the  heathen, 
'  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  them. ' 
The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us. 
Whereof  we  are  glad." 

We  scarcely  need  to  "be  reminded  that  tlie 
reconstructed  city  was  surrounded  by  massive 
walls  and  graced  with  another  temple.  Of  course 
the  stated  services  were  re-established,  and,  as 
has  already  been  intimated,  were  kept  up  with 
more  or  less  regularity  until  the  inauguration  of 
the  Gospel  dispensation. 

It  should  be  here  noted  that  the  faithful  cap- 
tives not  only  returned  with  singing  to  Jerusalem, 
but  that  the  voice  of  praise  was  heard  at  the  lay- 
ing of  the  corner-stone  of  the  second  temple.  II 
is  said  that  "  When  the  builders  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  they  set  the  priests 
in  their  apparel  with  trumpets,  and  the  Levites 
the  sons  of  Asaph  with  cymbals,  to  praise  the 
Lord,  after  the  ordinance  of  David  king  of  Israel. 
And  they  sang  together  by  course  in  praising  and 
giving  thanks  unto  the  Lord ;  because  He  is  good, 
for  His  mercy  endureth  forever  toward  Israel."  ^ 

What  a  scene  was  that !  The  musicians  singing 
and  playing  on  instruments  and  the  multitude 
shouting  for  joy,  while  many  of  the  ancient 
men"  wept  aloud  in  view  of  the  contemplated 

Ezra  iii.  lo,  ii. 


44 


THE  servicp:  of  song. 


inferiority  of  tliis  temple  to  tlie  one  in  which  they 
had  formerly  worshiped. 

We  read,  also,  that  the  Israelites  "kept  the 
dedication  of  this  house  of  God  with  joy."  Ezra 
and  Nehemiah  attached  as  much  importance  to 
sacred  music  as  David  had  done  in  his  day,  and, 
therefore,  they  not  only  "  set  the  priests  in  their 
divisions,"  but  also  "  the  Levites  in  their  courses 
for  the  service  of  God." 

From  our  last  stand-point  we  travel  down  the 
stream  of  time,  and  for  ages  we  gaze  with  tearful 
eye  upon  the  barrenness  and  wickedness,  and  also 
upon  the  sufferings,  of  the  Jewish  Church.  But 
the  eclipse  has  at  no  time  been  total,  and  we 
finally  hail  the  advent  of  the  long-promised 
Messiah  as  the  radiance  of  the  magnificent  sun 
streaming  through  rent  clouds  on  the  evening  of 
a  long  and  stormy  day. 

'Now  we  see  the  humble  shepherds  as  they  watch 
their  flocks  by  night.  The}^  experience  a  painful 
surprise  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appears,  and  as 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  shines  round  about  them. 
But  their  apprehensions  of  danger  are  put  to  flight 
as  the  heavenly  messenger,  with  silvery  voice, 
pronounces  the  words  :  "  Fear  not :  for  behold,  I 
bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day, 
in  the  city  of  David,  a  Savior,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord." 

But  the  news  is  too  good  to  be  told  only  in  plain 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


45 


words  of  prose,  it  must  also  be  proclaimed  in  the 
sweetest  strains  of  celestial  song.  Beliold!  a 
happy  and  shining  multitude  from  the  skies  form 
a  glowing  canopy  above  the  heads  of  the  enrap- 
tured shepherds,  and  the  glad  song — the  natal 
hymn  of  the  Redeemer  —  rises,  and  rolls,  and 
reverberates : 

"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
And  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men  I  " 

"We  may  suppose  that  the  mission  of  the  Son  of 
God  to  earth  caused  a  grand  jubilee  in  heaven, 
and  that  these  seraphic  choristers  turned  for  a 
time  from  the  throne  of  the  King  of  kings  to  bear 
the  thrilling  tidings  to  abject  man.  Hence  the 
poet : 

*'  In  heaven  the  rapt'rous  song  began, 
And  sweet  seraphic  fire 
Through  aU  the  shining  legions  ran, 
And  strung  and  tuned  the  lyre. 

Swift  through  the  vast  expanse  it  flew, 

And  loud  the  echo  rolled ; 
The  theme,  the  song,  the  joy  was  new, 

'  Twas  more  than  heaven  could  hold. 

Down  through  the  portals  of  the  sky 

Th'  impetuous  torrent  ran. 
And  angels  flew  with  eager  joy 

To  bear  the  news  to  man." 

The  Redeemer  tabernacles  among  men  for  thirty- 
three  years,  and  now  the  Man  of  Sorrows— the  Lord 
of  glory— is  to  be  crucified.  It  is  night,  and  the 
Master  and  His  disciples  are  in  a  large  upper  room 


46 


tup:  service  of  song. 


in  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  The  feast  of  the  Pass- 
over has  been  celebrated  for  the  last  time  by  them, 
and  the  Lord's  Supper  has  been  instituted.  Each 
one  of  the  little  sorrowing  band  has  partaken  of 
the  bread  and  wine,  and  the  Savior  utters  the  con- 
soling words :  "  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this 
fruit  of  the  vine  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it 
new  with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom."  Then, 
"  When  they  had  sung  a  hymn,  they  went  out 
into  the  Mount  of  Olives." 

The  Paschal  Psalms,  or  the  Psalms  composing 
the  great  Hallel  or  chant  which  the  Jews  used  at 
the  close  of  the  Passover,  were  from  the  one 
hundred  and  thirteenth  to  the  one  hundred  and 
eighteenth,  inclusive.  This  Hallel  was  not  all 
sung  at  once,  but  in  parts,  the  last  of  which  was 
sung  at  the  close  of  the  Passover.  It  is  probable 
that  the  hymn  sung  by  Christ  and  His  disciples 
on  the  eve  of  their  departure  for  Mount  Olivet 
embraced  the  one  hundred  and  eighteenth,  which 
evidently  refers  to  the  Messiah.  The  words  are 
exceedingly  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  especially 
if  we  consider  the  Lord  and  His  eleven  faithful 
followers  as  turning  away  from  their  present  griefs 
to  contemplate  the  goodness  of  God  in  redemp- 
tion, the  triumphant  resurrection  of  the  Crucified, 
and  the  unspeakable  blessings  conferred  upon 
man  through  the  Atonement. 

The  one  hundred  and  seventeenth  Psalm  is 


\ 

I 

THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG.  47 

a  most  beautiful  aud  stimug  prelude  to  this 
Paschal  song: 

**  O  praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  naLions  ! 
Praise  Him,  all  ye  people  ! 
For  His  merciful  kindness  is  great  toward  us ; 
And  the  truth  of  the  Lord  endureth  forever. 
Praise  ye  the  Lord." 

Then  the  one  hundred  and  eighteenth : 

**  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  He  is  good; 
Because  His  mercy  endureth  forever. 
Let  Israel  now  say, 
That  His  mercy  endureth  forever. 
Let  the  house  of  Aaron  now  say, 
That  His  mercy  endureth  forever. 
Let  them  now  that  fear  the  Lord  say. 
That  His  mercy  endureth  forever,"  etc. 

How  significant  are  some  of  the  allusions  in  this 
Psalm,  such  as :  Bind  the  sacrifice  with  cords 
even  unto  the  horns  of  the  altar."  If  Christ  and 
the  apostles  could  sing  in  view  of  this  sad  scene, 
how  much  more  should  we  rejoice  and  give  thanks 
when  we  are  assured  that  the  illustrious  Victim 
has,  indeed,  suff'ered  and  died,  and  that  the  God- 
man,  having  broken  these  cords  asunder,  has 
ascended  triumphantly  to  heaven,  where  He  ever 
livetli  to  make  intercessions  for  us.  Can  we  indi- 
vidually adopt  the  language  of  this  same  memor- 
able Psalm  and  sing  from  the  heart : 

*'  The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  S'^ng, 
And  is  become  my  salvation?  " 


48 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


Let  saints  on  earth  and  in  heaven  unite  in  the 
grand  doxology  with  which  the  Psalm  closes : 

"  Thou  art  my  God,  and  I  will  praise  Thee : 
Thou  art  my  God,  I  will  exalt  Thee. 
O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  He  is  good; 
For  His  mercy  endureth  forever." 

Memorable,  indeed,  is  the  first  century  of  the 
Christian  era.  The  Son  of  God  lives,  dies,  rises, 
and  ascends  to  heaven.  The  day  of  Pentecost 
dawns  :  the  old  dispensation  expires  ;  the  new 
dispensation  begins.  The  shadows  are  dispersed 
by  the  rising  Sun  of  Righteousness.  The  cum- 
brous and  typical  services  prescribed  by  the  cere- 
monial law  of  Moses  are  succeeded  by  the  simple 
and  spiritual  worship  which  Christianity  enjoins. 
The  apostles,  having  been  endued  with  power 
from  on  high,"  go  forth  preaching  in  obedience  to 
the  Divine  command.  Has  the  Church  had  her 
hymns  of  praise  during  the  darker  ages  of  her 
existence,  and  will  she  have  no  songs  to  sing  on 
this  the  brightest  and  best  day  that  the  world  has 
seen  since  the  fall  ?  We  turn  to  the  precepts  and 
practice  of  those  holy  men,  who  having  seen  Christ, 
preached  Him  to  the  world. 

They  established  churches  in  various  parts  of 
Asia,  "beginning  at  Jerusalem."  At  length  "a 
man  of  Macedonia"  appeared  to  St.  Paul  in  a 
vision  and  called  him  to  Europe.  Paul  and  Silas 
went  to  the  heathen  city,  Philippi,  and  preached. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


49 


Paul  also  cast  the  evil  spirit  out  of  a  female  servant 
wlio  "  brought  her  masters  much  gain  by  sooth- 
saying." They  stirred  up  the  wrath  of  the  popu- 
lace ;  a  mob  was  raised  ;  the  magistrates  tore  off 
the  clothes  of  these  persecuted  saints ;  "  many 
stripes''  were  inflicted  upon  them ;  they  were  thrust 
into  the  inner  prison,  and  their  feet  were  made  fast 
in  the  stocks.  Sad  spectacle !  These  men  are  far 
away  from  kindred  and  friends,  confined  in  a 
loathsome  dungeon,  in  the  most  uneasy  posture 
imaginable.  They  are  clad  in  rags ;  hungry 
and  faint  from  the  loss  of  blood,  which  still  oozes 
from  their  lacerated  bodies.  But  "  at  midnight 
Paul  and  Silas  prayed  and  sang  praises  to  God : 
and  the  prisoners  heard  them."  How  sweet  were 
these  "  songs  in  the  night !  "  How  refreshing  to 
the  drooping  spirits  of  these  faithful  disciples  of 
Christ !  How  acceptable  to  Him  who  before  all 
temples  prefers  the  devout,  believing  heart ! 
What  strange  sounds  to  be  heard  in  a  heathen 
prison !  How  many  hearts  indurated  with  crime 
were  charmed  by  these  songs,  and,  in  some  meas- 
ure, prepared  for  the  reception  of  the  Gospel !  The 
first  Redemption  hymn  heard  on  European  soil  has 
now  been  sung :  the  last  one  will  mingle  its  melody 
with  the  echoes  of  the  resurrection  trumpet. 

As  to  the  words  used  by  these  pious  sufferers, 
of  course  we  have  no  definite  information.  We 
know,  however,  that  they  were  well  acquainted 
with  the  Book  of  Psalms,  and  from  that  great 
4 


50 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


magazine  of  sacred  poetry  they  may  have  drawn 
the  material  of  their  songs.    They  may  have  sung : 

**  And  the  people  which  shall  be  created  shall  praise  the  Lord, 
For  He  hath  looked  down  from  the  height  of  His  sanctuary, 
From  heaven  did  the  Lord  behold  the  earth ; 
To  hear  the  groaning  of  the  prisoner, 
To  loose  those  that  are  appointed  to  death, 
To  declare  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  Zion, 

And  His  praise  in  Jerusalem ;  ' 
When  the  people  are  gathered  together 
And  the  kingdoms,  to  serve  the  Lord." 

In  various  passages  in  the  Apostolic  Epistles 
singing  is  recognized  as  a  component  part  of 
Divine  worship.  To  the  Corinthians  St.  Paul 
says :  "  I  will  sing  with  the  spirit,  and  I  will  sing 
with  the  understanding  also." 

To  the  Ephesians  he  says :  "  Be  filled  with  the 
Spirit!  speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making 
melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord;  giving  thanks 
always  for  all  things  unto  God  and  the  Father, in 
the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

To  the  Colossians  he  says:  "Let  the  word  of 
Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom ;  teach- 
ing and  admonishing  one  another  in  psalms,  and 
hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in 
your  hearts  to  the  Lord." 

A  few  years  after  these  words  were  written,  St. 
John  the  divine  was  banished  to  the  Isle  of  Pat- 
mos,  "  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  Christ."    But  God  was  with  him  during 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


51 


liis  exile  on  that  lonely  island  in  the  midst  of  the 
jEgean  Sea,  and  favored  him  with  enrapturing 
views  of  the  latter-day  glory  of  the  Church  and 
of  the  heavenly  world.  How  charmingly  did  the 
songs  of  the  redeemed  fall  upon  his  ears  1  He 
says:  "I  heard  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in 
heaven,  saying  Alleluia ;  salvation,  and  glory,  and 
honor,  and  power  unto  the  Lord  our  God :  for  true 

and  righteous  are  His  judgments  And  again 

they  said.  Alleluia  And  a  voice  came  out 

of  the  throne,  saying.  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  His 
servants,  and  ye  that  fear  Him,  both  small  and 
great.  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great 
multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and 
as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying.  Alle- 
luia :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 

We  have  now  reached  the  last  page  of  the  in- 
spired volume.  Of  course  we  have  given  only  a 
general  view  of  the  Divine  teachings  on  the  sub- 
ject under  consideration,  without  attempting  to 
notice  all  that  is  said  in  regard  to  it.  We  pause 
a  moment  to  retrospect  the  hallowed  ground  over 
which  we  have  traveled.  And,  in  the  review,  we 
can  not  fail  to  perceive  at  least  one  great  truth 
which  stands  out  in  bold  relief,  both  in  the  Old 
Testament  and  in  the  New — i.  e.,  that  singing  is 
AN  ELEMENT  OF  DiviNE  WORSHIP,  and  that  it 
should  be  conducted  with  that  solemnit}^,  fervor, 
and  spirituality  which  should  ever  characterize 
devotional  services.    It  was  kept  up  in  the  Church 


52 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


from  a  very  early  period  in  the  world's  history 
down  to  the  close  of  the  Apostolic  day.  The  last 
of  the  inspired  writers  give  no  intimation  that  the 
service  of  song  is  to  be  temporary ;  hut,  on  the 
contrary,  they  enjoin  its  observance,  and  give  ex- 
plicit directions  in  reference  to  th*^  spirit  in  which 
it  is  to  be  conducted.  This  department  of  worship 
was  instituted  by  God  himself,  as  was  also  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures,  prayer,  and  preaching ; 
and  never  having  been  abrogated,  it  remains  to 
be  perpetuated  to  the  end  of  time. 

How  strange  that  in  the  light  of  the  Scriptures, 
so  clear  and  strong,  any  one  should  conclude  that 
the  days  of  sacred  song  have  long  since  passed 
away !  It  is  gratifying  to  observe,  however,  that 
nearly  all  the  branches  of  the  Christian  Church, 
however  they  may  differ  on  other  points,  recog- 
nize singing  as  a  part  of  Divine  worship. 

Against  this  almost  unanimous  testimony  of 
the  Churches,  the  Society  of  Friends  utter  their 
decided  protest.  But  this  is  not  remarkable  when 
we  consider  that  they  reject  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism in  the  face  of  the  great  commission,  and  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  enjoined  as  it  is 
by  the  positive  command  of  the  Master. 

Let  us,  then,  give  heed  to  the  inspired  teach- 
ings. Let  all  the  members  of  the  Church  militant 
raise  their  voices  in  praise  to  the  great  Captain 
of  our  salvation,"  and  to  these  sublime  and  stir- 
ring notes  let  the  "  sacramental  host "  march  on 
triumphantly  to  the  conquest  of  the  world. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


53 


PART  FIRST. 


SINGING  IN  PRIVATE  DEVOTION. 

Religion  should  be  made  a  Personal  Matter  —  Singing  should  have 
a  place  in  Private  Devotion  —  David  and  the  other  Psalmists  — 
The  Devout  Laborer  —  Numerous  Occasions  of  Gratitude  and 
Praise — **0,  Weep  not  for  the  Joys  that  Fade"  —  Death, 
only,  considered  Inexorable  by  the  Ancient  Grecians  —  The 
Albigensian  Christians  —  Margaret  Wilson  —  Charles  Wesley  — 
John  Wesley  —  The  Little  Girl  in  the  far  Southwest  —  Bishop 
Capers  —  The  Rev.  ^L  L.  Hoge,  D.  D.  —  The  Rev..  W.  G. 
Caples. 

"  In  ev'ry  joy  that  crowns  my  days, 
In  ev'ry  pain  I  bear. 
My  heart  shall  find  delight  in  praise. 
Or  seek  relief  in  prayer." 

"We  would  empliasize  tlie  familiar  truism,  that 
religion  should  be  made  a  personal  matter.  The 
Gospel  addresses  itself  to  individuals.  Every 
member  of  the  human  family  is  personally  guilty. 
Every  one  is  exposed  to  wrath.  Every  one  has 
been  redeemed,  and  may  be  saved  by  a  personal 
trust  in  the  merits  of  Christ.  Hence  it  is  said : 
"  Enter  into  thy  closet."  Go  alcne  to  the  mercy- 
seat.  Wliile  you  attach  due  importance  to  public 
and  social  worship,  see  to  it  that  you  serve  God 


54  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

in  your  individual  capacity.  Do  not  lose  your 
identity  in  the  common  mass  of  humanity,  but 
sedulously  cultivate  a  sense  of  your  own  responsi- 
bility. Pray  to  God  in  secret,  and  be  rewarded 
openly.  He  who  neglects  private  devotion,  and 
looks  forward  to  the  Sabbath  in  the  hope  that,  as 
a  sponge,  it  will  wipe  out  all  the  sins  of  the  week 
preceding,  will  go  to  the  sanctuary  with  a  cold  and 
hard  heart,  and  the  services  will  be  to  him  an  irk- 
some task.  The  lamp  of  Christian  experience  will 
soon  go  out  if  it  is  not  trimmed  and  fed  in  secret. 

IsoT  is  there  any  reason  why  singing  should  not 
constitute  an  integral  part  of  private  devotion. 
This  delightful  exercise  stirs  the  soul,  quickens 
the  believer's  faith,  fans  the  flame  of  love,  and 
thus  fits  him  for  his  duties,  trials  and  enjoyments. 

David,  when  harassed  and  persecuted  by  Saul 
and  his  allies,  was  sustained  and  soothed  by  the 
sweet  influences  of  poetry  and  song.  Cut  off  from 
the  privileges  of  public  worship,  an  exile  dwelling 
in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth,  he  expressed  his 
gratitude  for  past  mercies  and  his  trust  in  God  for 
the  future,  in  odes  the  most  touching  and  sublime. 
Oppressed  with  the  cares  of  state,  exposed  to  the 
privations  and  perils  of  the  camp  and  the  battle- 
field, he  would,  nevertheless,  constantly  maintain 
a  devotional  spirit.  Hear  the  pious  utterances  of 
the  "  monarch  minstrel "  and  others  of  the  inspired 
Psalmists  : 

"  I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times.  His  praise 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


55 


sliall  continually  be  in  my  moutli."  "Let  my 
moutli  be  filled  with  Thy  praise,  and  with  Thy 
honor  all  the  day."  In  God  we  boast  all  the  day 
long,  and  praise  Thy  name  forever  and  ever." 
"  Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise  Thee,  because  of 
Thy  righteous  judgments." 

The  followers  of  Christ  have  often  experienced 
how  effectually  the  hours  of  solitude  may  be  bereft 
of  their  loneliness  by  the  uplifting  of  the  heart  to 
God  in  prayer  and  praise. 

The  devout  laborer,  as  he  goes  to  his  daily  toil, 
mingles  his  morning  songs  with  the  tuneful  lays 
of  the  lark.    Hear  his  supplicatory  hymn  : 

'*  O  disclose  Thy  lovely  face, 

Quicken  all  my  drooping  powers ! 
Gasps  my  fainting  soul  for  grace, 

As  a  thirsty  land  for  showers. 
Haste,  my  Lord,  no  more  delay, 
Come,  my  Savior,  come  away ! 

"  Dark  and  cheerless  is  the  morn, 

Unaccompanied  by  Thee ; 
Joyless  is  the  day's  return, 

Till  Thy  mercy's  beams  I  see — 
Till  thou  inward  light  impart. 
Glad  my  eyes  and  warm  my  heart." 

Keturning  from  his  work  at  the  close  of  the 
day,  he  lifts  his  voice  again  and  sings : 

*'  The  mellow  eve  is  gliding 
Serenely  down  the  west ; 
So  every  care  subsiding. 
My  soul  would  sink  to  rest. 


56 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


"  The  woodland  hum  is  ringing 
The  daylight's  gentle  close ; 
May  angels  round  me  singing 
Thus  hymn  my  last  repose. 

"  The  evening  star  has  lighted 
Her  crystal  lamp  on  high ; 
So,  when  in  death  benighted, 
May  hope  illume  the  sky. 

**  In  golden  splendor  dawning, 

The  morrow's  light  shall  break; 
O,  on  the  last  bright  morning, 
May  I  in  glory  wake." 

The  mother  is  frequently  left  with  no  companion 
but  her  little  one.  She  looks  upon  the  tiny  form  and 
muses  with  maternal  solicitude  upon  the  destiny 
of  the  young  immortal.  She  trembles  in  view  of 
the  dangers  and  sufferings  to  which  the  loved  one 
is  incident,  but  disburdens  her  heart  by  a  hymn 
of  invocation  and  praise  to  the  God  and  Father 
of  all. 

The  Christian  traveler  is  in  a  strange  land. 
Strange  habitations  greet  his  vision  and  a  strange 
language  falls  upon  his  ear.  With  a  sad  heart  he 
contrasts  these  new  sights  and  sounds  with  the 
familiar  scenes  of  his  native  country  and  his  child- 
hood's home.  He  may  never  again  behold  the 
green  trees  and  blue  skies  which  looked  down 
lovingly  upon  his  youthful  sports.  The  anxious 
ones  whose  hearts  follow  him  in  his  wanderings 
may  never  hail  his  return.  But  he  feels  that  he 
is  about  his  Father's  business  and  on  his  way  to 
his  Father's  house.    And  now 

"How  happy  is  the  pilgrim's  lot!" 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


57 


How  grateful  is  the  song  which  wafts  his  soul  to 
the  "  city  in  the  skies ! " 

Every  pious  individual  finds  numerous  occa- 
sions for  gratitude  and  praise,  such  as  the  change 
of  seasons,  birth-days,  deliverance  from  danger, 
and  the  reception  of  special  blessings.  Even 
afflictions  are  designed  to  "3deld  the  peaceable 
fruit  of  righteousness,"  and  hence  the  injunction, 
"  Rejoice  evermore  :  pray  without  ceasing :  in 
everything  give  thanks." 

It  is  to  be  feared  that  in  seasons  of  sadness  and 
suffering  we  too  often  lose  the  spirit  of  praise :  we 
make  our  requests  to  God,  but  not  with  thanks- 
giving. Thus  we  fail  to  receive  the  grace  we  need. 
Amid  the  fiercest  storm  let  the  soul  be  serene. 
Let  the  Divine  character  be  contemplated;  let 
the  memory  of  past  blessings  be  vivid ;  let  present 
possessions  and  enjoyments  be  appreciated;  let 
the  "  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises  "  be 
implicity  relied  upon,  and  let  the  "far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory"  be  antici- 
pated. Then  will  the  chastened  child  of  God  be 
so  filled  with  gratitude  and  hope  as  to  become 
unmindful  of  his  anguish. 

O  weep  not  for  the  joys  that  fade 

Like  evening  hghts  away  ; 
For  hopes  that,  like  the  stars  decayed, 

Have  left  their  mortal  day  ; 
For  clouds  of  sorrow  will  depart, 

And  brilliant  skies  be  given, 
And  though  on  earth  the  tear  may  start, 
Yet  bliss  awaits  the  holy  heart 

Amid  the  bowers  of  heaven." 


58 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


How  often  has  the  spirit  of  the  dying  saint  been 
uplifted  upon  the  pinions  of  song,  his  own  falter- 
ing notes  blending  with  the  anthems  of  angels ! 

We  are  informed  that  the  ancient  Grecians  con- 
sidered death  as  the  only  god  who  would  neither 
be  moved  by  offerings  nor  conquered  by  sacrifices 
and  oblations ;  and,  therefore,  he  was  the  only  one 
to  whom  no  altar  was  erected,  and  to  whom  no 
hymns  were  sung.  But  to  the  Christian  death  is 
by  no  means  so  inexorable.  Gaining  the  victory 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  holy  conquerer 
rises  above  "  the  last  enemy  "  with  grateful  paeans 
upon  his  lips. 

Many  of  the  martyrs  sang  until  they  breathed 
their  last  in  the  flames.  It  is  said  that  during 
the  persecutions  by  Simon  de  Montfort,  in  the 
thirteenth  century,  one  hundred  and  forty  Albi- 
gensian  Christians  were  engaged  in  singing  while 
they  marched  into  the  fire  which  had  been  kindled 
to  consume  them. 

Margaret  Wilson,  having  been  sentenced  to 
death  for  her  faith  in  Christ,  was  fastened  to  a  stake 
in  Solway  Frith,  between  England  and  Scotland, 
to  await  the  advancing  tide.  Bat  she  sang  and 
prayed  until  the  waves  choked  her  voice.  Many 
other  examples  might  be  given  of  the  triumph  of 
praise  over  the  horrors  of  a  violent  death. 

"Nothing,"  says  the  Rev.  Richard  Baxter, 
"  comforts  me  more  in  my  greatest  sufferings,  or 
seems  more  fit  for  me  while  I  w^ait  for  death,  than 


THE  SERVICP:  of  SONG. 


59 


singing  psalms  of  praise  to  God  ;  nor  is  tliere  any 
exercise  in  which  I  had  rather  end  my  life." 

Charles  Wesley  finished  his  course  in  the  eighti- 
eth year  of  his  age.  This  prince  of  uninspired 
poets  put  his  last  prayer  into  verse.  Calling  his 
wife  to  his  bedside,  he  desired  her  to  write : 

"In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
Who  shall  a  helpless  worm  redeem  ? 
Jesus,  my  only  hope  Thou  art, 
Strength  of  my  failing  flesh  and  heart ! 
O,  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  Thee, 
And  drop  into  eternity !  " 

Beautiful  and  triumphant  conclusion  of  a  well 
spent  life ! 

The  poet-preacher  dropped  his  harp  but  for  a 
moment.  He  still  lives ;  and,  having  reached  "  the 
city  of  the  Great  King,"  rejoicing  in  immortal 
youth  and  vigor,  he  continues  to  pour  out  his  soul 
to  God  in  love  and  praise. 

In  his  eighty-eighth  year  John  Wesley  entered 
into  rest.  The  sunset  of  his  long  and  memorable 
day  was  gloriously  peaceful.  In  life,  sacred  song 
was  the  element  in  which  he  delighted  to  move, 
and  in  death  it  diffused  around  him  a  celestial 
fragrance. 

The  day  before  his  departure  he  sang  that  ex- 
cellent hymn,  composed  by  his  brother  Charles  : 

All  glory  to  God  in  the  sky. 

And  peace  upon  earth  be  restored ! 
O  Jesus,  exalted  on  high, 

Appear,  our  omnipotent  Lord; 


60 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


Who  meanly  in  Bethlehem  born, 

Didst  stoop  to  redeem  a  lost  race; 
Once  more  to  Thy  people  return, 

And  reign  in  Thy  kingdom  of  grace. 

'*  O  wouldst  Thou  again  be  made  known, 

Again  in  Thy  Spirit  descend ; 
And  set  up  in  each  of  Thine  own, 

A  kingdom  that  never  shall  end ! 
Thou  only  art  able  to  bless 

And  make  the  glad  nations  obey ; 
And  bid  the  dire  enmity  cease, 

And  bow  the  whole  world  to  Thy  sway." 

Later  in  tlie  day  lie  surprised  the  friends  wlio 
wept  around  Mm  by  singing : 

'*  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath, 
And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death 

Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  powers ; 
My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past. 
While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last, 

Or  immortality  endures." 

Still  later,  after  a  brief  but  very  fervent  prayer, 
lie  raised  Ms  voice  and  sang  two  lines  of  the 
Doxology : 

To  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost, 
Who  sweetly  all  agree." 

Night  came  on,  but  to  the  expiring,  rejoicing  saint 
there  was  no  darkness  :  an  eternal  day  dawned 
upon  his  enraptured  spirit.  He  frequently  at- 
tempted to  repeat  the  hymn  which  he  had  sung 
the  preceding  day,  but  could  only  utter, 

"  I'll  praise — I'll  praise." 

The  next  morning,  with  a  heart  full  of  tranquil 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


61 


I  joy,  lie  said  to  his  friends,  and  to  all  sublunary 
things,  "Farewell!" 

A  few  years  ago  there  lived  a  beautiful  little 
girl  in  the  far  Southwest.    She  was  almost  always 
smiling  and  singing,  and  every  one  praised  her 
for  her  goodness.    One  day  she  lay  down  upon 
her  bed,  looking  very  pale,  and  said  she  was 
very  weary.    Her  little  hands  grew  cold,  and 
,  great  drops  of  clammy  sweat  stood  on  her  fair 
I   young  brow.    And  then  her  large  blue  eye  grew 
i   bright  and  sparkling,  and  a  heavenly  smile  irra- 
I    diated  her  pale  features,  and  she  exclaimed, 
"  Music !  music !  0,  how  sweet  I  *'    Then,  extend- 
ing her  little  arms,  she  said  :  "I  am  coming ! " 
Instantly  the  spirit  took  its  flight,  and  there  was 
another  songster  in  the  angelic  choir. 

"  Let  music  charm  me  last  on  earth, 
And  greet  me  first  in  heaven." 

I  On  a  certain  occasion  the  late  Bishop  Capers 
'  was  dangerously  ill — in  fact  it  was  supposed  that 

his  end  was  near.  But,  with  exultant  faith  and 
hope,  he  was  ready  to  meet  the  last  enemy.  Having 
given,  as  he  sujpposed,  his  dying  charge  to  his 
sorrowing  wife  and  children,  and  having  bidden 
them  farewell,  he  requested  Mrs.  Capers  to  write 
as  he  dictated  the  following  couplet : 

II  "  O  may  I  joy  in  all  his  Hfe, 

'  And  shout  the  Cross  in  death !  " 

He  then  said,  "  Give  me  the  paper ;  I  wish  to  draw 
a  line  under  the  words,  And  sliout  the  Cross  in 


62 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


deatli^^  repeating  the  expression  several  times. 
But  the  sickness  was  not  unto  death ;  it  was  sev- 
eral years  after  this  that  he  was  called  to  his  re- 
ward. And,  as  he  had  anticipated,  the  Cross  bore 
him  triumphantly  through  the  final  conflict.  He 
who  took  such  unutterable  delight  in  singing  the 
praises  of  God  on  earth  has  assuredly  gone  to 

"Ask  an  angel's  lyre." 

Blessed  are  they  who,  through  faith,  come  forth 
from  the  Christian's  warfare  singing  the  victor's 
song ! 

The  Rev.  Moses  L.  Hodge,  D.  D.,  an  eminently 
pious  and  gifted  minister  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  died  recently  near  Petersburg,  Ya.  War, 
like  a  mighty  earthquake,  had  convulsed  the 
whole  country  from  center  to  circumference,  and 
among  the  last  sounds  that  fell  upon  the  ear  of 
the  dying  Christian  were  the  distant  thunderings 
of  artillery.  But  with  these  terrific  sounds  the 
songs  of  Zion  mingled  their  melody.  The  morn- 
ing was  unusually  calm  and  bright,  and  Dr.  Hodge, 
after  looking  out  for  the  last  time  upon  its  light 
and  beauty,  requested  those  present  to  sing  a 
hymn. 

'*  How  firm  a  foundation,  ye  saints  of  the  Lord," 

was  sung,  and  the  Doctor  remarked :  "It  is  enough ; 
all  that  is  comforting  in  the  assurance  of  the 
Divine  love  and  care  seem  to  be  there  ;  nothing  is 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


63 


omitted."  His  own  voice,  in  life,  had  been  excel- 
lent, and  when  they  began  to  sing, 

"  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 
In  a  believer's  ear  !  " 

he  could  no  longer  remain  silent,  but  joined  with 
a  trembling  voice,  imparting  his  wiiole  strength 
and  soul  to  the  two  last  lines  of  the  stanza: 

**  Weak  is  the  efifort  of  my  heart, 
And  cold  my  warmest  thought ; 
But  when  I  see  Thee  as  Thou  art 
r II praise  Thee  as  1  oughts 

His  face  beamed  anew  with  heavenly  joy,  and 
his  voice  grew  fuller  and  deeper  as  he  said : 

"And  may  the  music  of  thy  name 
Refresh  my  soul  in  death  !  " 

Adding,  after  a  brief  pause,  "I  know  but  little  of 
music  now ;  but  soon  I  shall  be  listening  to  the 
diapason  of  the  universe." 

Soon  after  this  he  passed  away  to  rejoice  with 
the  shining  ones  in  his  Heavenly  Father's  house. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  G.  Caples,  of  the  Missouri  Con- 
ference of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
was  one  of  the  most  gifted  and  successful  minis- 
ters in  the  West.  While  in  th^^  meridian  splen- 
dor of  his  life  and  labors,  he  died  in  Glasgow,  Mo., 
October  11,  1834,  of  a  wound  received  during  a 
contest  of  the  Confederate  and  Federal  forces  for 
the  occupancy  of  the  city.  Mr.  Caples  was  not  a 
combatant,  and  the  wound  was  not  intentionally 
inflicted.    "  The  end  of  that  man  was  p^ace,"  yea, 


64 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


it  was  a  glorioiis  triumpli  over  "tlie  last  enemy." 

The  Kev.  John  D.  Yincil  says'^*  that,  after  prayer 
had  been  offered,  "  we  all  united  in  singing  the 
last  strains  he  ever  heard  till  the  music  of  the 
heavenly  songsters  broke  upon  his  ear.  While 
we  sang  'I  would  not  live  alway,'  with  him  a 
favorite  piece,  his  face  brightened  into  a  glowing 
radiance,  reminding  us  of  the  countenance  of 
Stephen  in  the  council  when  he  preached  his  last 
sermon.  Brother  Caples  attempted  to  join  in  the 
melody  that  was  bearing  his  soul  up  to  the  place 

'Where  the  saints  of  all  ages  in  harmony  meet.' 

He  was  too  weak,  however,  to  sing,  but  repeated 
tlie  words  with  deep  feeling."  When  the  singing 
was  concluded,  the  dying  Christian  hero  said  to 
Mr.  Yincil,  with  the  most  settled  composure  and 
sweet  serenity :  "  My  brother,  my  race  is  about 
run — suddenly  cut  short.  I  have  unexpectedly 
reached  the  end.  I  shall  soon  be  on  the  other 
shore." 

Hear  the  sermon  which  the  Gospel  preaches  to 
the  d3^ing  believer : 

"Is  thy  earthly  house  distrest? 
Willing  to  retain  its  guest? 
'  Tis  not  thou,  but  it  must  die  ; 
Fly,  celestial  tenant,  fly ! 
Burst  thy  shackles  !  drop  thy  clay, 
Sweedy  breathe  thy  life  away ; 
Singing  to  thy  crown  remove, 
Swift  of  wing,  and  fired  with  love. 

*  Bishop  Marvin's  Life  of  Caples. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONQ. 


'  Shudder  not  to  pass  the  stream, 
Venture  all  thy  care  on  Him — 
Him,  whose  dying  love  and  powet 
Still'd  its  tossing,  hush'd  its  roar. 
Safe  is  the  expanded  wave. 
Gentle  as  a  summer's  eve ; 
Not  one  object  of  His  care 
Ever  suffered  shipwreck  there. 

'  See  the  haven  full  in  view  ; 
Love  divine  shall  bear  thee  through. 
Trust  to  that  propitious  gale ; 
Weigh  thy  anchor,  spread  thy  sail. 
Saints  in  glory,  perfect  made, 
Wait  thy  passage  through  the  shade ; 
Ardent  for  thy  coming  o'er, 
See,  they  throng  the  blissful  shore. 

'  Mount,  their  transports  to  improve. 
Join  the  longing  choir  above  ; 
Swiftly  to  their  wish  be  given. 
Kindle  higher  joy  in  heaven. 
Such  the  prospects  that  arise 
To  the  dying  Christian's  eyes  ; 
Such  the  glorious  vista,  faith 
Opens  through  the  shades  of  death." 


66 


thp:  sekvick  of  song. 


PART  SECOND. 


SINGING  IN  THE  FAMILY  AND  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

SINGING  IN  THE  FAMILY. 

Home  —  A  Christian  Home  —  Praise  as  well  as  Prayer  should  be 
Heard  in  the  Habitations  of  the  Faithful  —  Benefits  of  House- 
hold Praise  —  Why  it  is  especially  Beneficial  to  Children  —  We 
need  Sacred  Songs  as  an  Offset  against  Bacchanalian  or  Ribald 
Songs  —  The  Early  Christians  —  The  Westminster  Assembly  — 
Matthew  Henry's  Remark  —  The  Author's  Reminiscences  — 
"Come  to  the  Place  of  Prayer"  —  Family  Choirs. 

"  Home,  sweet  home !  "  At  home  infancy 
is  cradled,  childhood  is  nurtured,  youth  is 
guarded,  manhood  is  inspired,  age  is  supported 
and  solaced.  There  sickness  is  healed  and  sorrow- 
soothed.  There  weariness  rests  and  anxiety  finds 
repose.  Home  is  a  magnet  which  ever  attracts 
the  heart,  whether  we  sail  on  distant  seas  or  wan- 
der in  foreign  climes.  It  is  a  relic  of  paradise — 
a  type  of  heaven. 

*'  The  pilgrim's  step  in  vain 
Seeks  Eden's  holy  ground; 
But  in  home's  holy  joys,  again 
An  Eden  may  be  found." 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


67 


This,  liowever,  can  only  be  said  of  a  Christian 
home.  In  this  little  empire  love  mast  reign  with 
undisputed  sway,  or  the  type  has  but  little  signifi- 
cance. "  He  setteth  the  solitary  in  families,"  that, 
around  the  hearth- stone,  alfection's  golden  chain 
may  sweetly  link  heart  to  heart,  and  all  hearts  to 
the  God  of  love.  The  express  design  of  this 
institution  is,  that  the  parents  being  holy,  the 
children  may  be  schooled  into  habits  of  piety. 
Thus  the  young  are  to  be  prepared  for  a  life  of 
usefulness  and  happiness,  and  for  a  joyful  immor- 
tality. There  should  be,  in  some  sense,  a  Church 
in  every  house.  There  are  family  wants  and 
family  blessings ;  and  hence  there  should  be 
family  prayer  and  praise.  In  the  Scriptures  those 
families  that  call  not  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
are  placed  in  a  category  with  the  heathen ;  but  it 
is  said  that  "the  house  of  the  righteous  shall 
stand."  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  urge  that  the 
habitations  of  the  faithful  should  be  vocal,  morn- 
ing and  evening,  with  praise  as  well  as  prayer. 

"  It  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord, 
and  to  sing  praises  unto  Thy  name,  O  Most  High : 
to  show  forth  Thy  loving  kindness  every  morning, 
and  Thy  faithfulness  every  night." 

"  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  bless  His  name :  show  forth 
His  salvation  from  day  to  day." 

This  delightful  exercise  can  not  fail  to  elevate 
the  aims,  tranquillize  the  spirits,  and  intensify  the 
love  of  parents,  children  and  servants.    We  may 


68 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


well  suppose  that  angels  on  errands  of  mercy 
pause  to  listen  to  the  songs  which  go  up  from  a 
holy  household.  Yea,  the  God  of  angels  hears 
with  approbation  these  ascriptions  of  praise. 

The  opinion  has  been  confidently  advanced,  that 
where  there  is  p^'^ging  at  the  family  altar,  the 
children  are  more  likely  to  be  brought  under 
religious  influences,  and  to  become  disciples  of 
Christ  at  an  early  age,  than  in  those  families  in 
which  there  is  no  service  of  song.  If  this  be 
so,  is  not  singing  in  family  worship  a  matter  of 
prime  importance  ? 

The  reasons  for  the  opinion  referred  to  are,  it 
would  seem,  conclusive.  When  there  is  singing, 
the  child  is  much  more  apt  to  become  a  partici- 
pant in  the  worship  than  when  this  pleasing  exer- 
cise is  omitted.  The  reading  of  the  Scriptures 
and  prayer  are  comparatively  uninteresting  to 
those  who  are  of  tender  years ;  but  singing  engages 
the  voice  and  enlivens  the  spirits,  and  is  withal 
such  a  service  as  the  young  generally  delight  in. 
Hence  it  is  altogether  probable  that  impressions 
are  made  upon  the  susceptible  heart  by  means  of 
melodious  sounds,  which  would  not  be  made  with- 
out this  fascinating  and  influential  agency. 

Much  stress  should  also  be  laid  upon  the  fact 
that  the  youthful  memory  being  exceedingly  tena- 
cious, impressions  made  upon  the  child  are  likely 
to  be  indelible.    The  great  incidents  in  the  history 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONO. 


69 


of  tlie  Israelites  were  woven  into  song,  and  these 
eucharistic  epics  were  required  to  be  diligently 
tauglit  to  their  children.  So,  in  the  present  day, 
the  simple  doctrines  and  thrilling  events  of  Chris- 
tianity should  be  wrought  into  verse  and  imprinted 
upon  the  juvenile  mind  by  the  power  of  music. 
Truths  thus  inculcated  will  cling  to  the  soul  for- 
ever. We  all  know  that  cherished  memories  of 
home  and  friends  are  written  upon  the  immortal 
mind  with  such  enduring  vividness  that  the  record 
can  never  be  effaced.  But  in  all  the  reminiscences 
of  days  gone  by  there  is  nothing  that  so  haunts 
the  spirit  as  the  songs  to  which  we  were  accus- 
tomed in  childhood. 

The  sweet  tones  of  a  mother's  voice  will  live  and 
speak  in  the  heart  long  after  that  familiar  sound 
has  been  hushed  into  silence.  The  recollection  of 
the  songs  of  Zion  which  were  first  heard  amid  the 
throng  of  worshipers  in  the  city,  or  in  the  em- 
bowered country  church,  will  remain  in  morning 
freshness  long  after  the  sanctuary  has  mouldered 
into  ruins.  We  may  cross  oceans  and  wander  in 
foreign  climes ;  the  erect  frame  may  be  bowed  with 
the  weight  of  years,  and  raven  ringlets  may  be 
converted  into  locks  of  snowy  whiteness  ;  but  the 
old  home-songs  heard  in  the  distance  in  the  still 
morning,  or  sung  by  ourselves  in  some  calm  hour 
of  reflection,  or  by  the  home-circle  on  a  winter's 
evening,  will  bring  around  us  the  friends  and  the 
scenes  of  other  days  and  of  far-^ff  lands ;  and, 


70 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


while  tlie  dim  63^6  of  age  sparkles  with  unwonted 
brilliancy,  the  heart  will  beat  with  the  buoyancy 
of  early  youth. 

**  When  thro'  life  unblest  we  rove, 

Losing  all  that  made  life  dear, 
Should  some  notes  we  used  to  love 

In  days  of  boyhood  meet  our  ear, 
Oh !  how  welcome  breathes  the  strain ! 

Waking  thoughts  that  long  have  slept , 
Kindling  former  smiles  again 

In  faded  eyes  that  long  have  wept. 

"  Like  the  gale  that  sighs  along 

Beds  of  oriental  flowers. 
Is  the  grateful  breath  of  song, 

That  once  was  heard  in  happier  hours; 
Fill'd  with  balm,  the  gale  sighs  on, 

Though  the  flowers  have  sunk  in  death ; 
So,  when  pleasure's  dream  is  gone. 

Its  memory  lives  in  music's  breath." 

It  is  not  at  all  improbable  that  the  songs  learned 
in  the  nursery,  or  around  the  fireside, will  be  used 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  after  years  as  the  instru- 
mentalities of  conviction,  conversion,  and  final 
salvation.  On  the  contrary,  bacchanalian  or  ribald 
songs,  which  are  apt  to  be  learned  and  used  by 
those  who  are  unaccustomed  to  religious  melodies, 
are,  in  the  hands  of  the  Destroyer,  a  most  potent 
means  of  spiritual  and  everlasting  ruin.  Shall  we 
quietly  allow  this  tremendous  power  to  pass  into 
the  hands ^of  the  enemy,  or  shall  we  not  eagerly 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


71 


seize  upon  it  as  our  lawful  right,  and  wield  it  for 
the  good  of  our  race  and  the  glory  of  God? 

**  Who  on  the  part  of  God  will  rise? 
Innocent  sounds  recover — 
Fly  on  the  prey,  and  seize  the  prize, 
Plunder  the  carnal  lover. 

**  Strip  him  of  every  moving  strain. 
Every  melting  measure; 
Music  in  virtue's  cause  retain, 
Rescue  the  holy  pleasure." 

It  will,  doubtless,  be  admitted  that  singing 
as  a  part  of  family  worship  is  by  no  means  as 
generally  observed  as  it  was  in  former  days. 
While  in  many  things  we  have  advanced,  at  this 
point  we  have  retrograded.  Suppose  we  were  to 
dispense  with  singing  in  the  Church,  how  sadly 
would  Zion  be  shorn  of  her  beauty  and  power ! 
How  comparatively  dreary  and  feeble  would  be 
the  services !  And  is  not  this  the  very  effect  which 
has  been  produced  b}^  the  discontinuance  of  sing- 
ing in  the  Church-in-the-house  with  which  our 
children  are  especially  identified  ? 

Why  should  not  a  worshiping  family  sing? 
Have  we  not  sufficient  time  to  spare  from  secular 
engagements  ?  Is  the  work  too  arduous  ?  Is  the 
exercise  calculated  to  do  no  good  ?  Will  not  the 
same  reasons  which  would  justify  us  in  the  habit- 
ual neglect  of  singing  at  the  family  altar  also 


72  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

justify  us  in  dispensing  witli  the  reading  of  the 
Scriptures  and  prayer  ? 

It  is  said  of  the  early  Christians  tliat  their  family 
devotions  consisted  of  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures, 
singing  and  prayer,  and  that  this  household  wor- 
ship was  engaged  in  four  times  every  day.  Happy 
households !  Their  cliildren  were  especially  taught 
to  sing  the  wonders  of  Redemption. 

In  the  year  1644,  the  Westminster  Assembly 
declared  the  singing  of  psalms  to  be  a  duty  in 
which  all  Christians  should  engage,  both  in  the 
congregation  and  in  the  family. 

Matthew  Henry  says  :  "  He  who  reads  does  well ; 
he  who  reads  and  prays  does  better ;  but  he  who 
reads,  sings  and  prays  does  best  of  all." 

The  writer  well  remembers  the  sojourn  of  the 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  at  his  father's  house  as 
among  the  happiest  hours  of  his  boyhood  days ; 
but  he  has  no  recollection  of  ever  being  present 
at  worship  under  the  paternal  roof,  which  was 
regularly  kept  up  morning  and  evening,  when 
singing  did  not  constitute  a  prominent  part  of  the 
service.  Let  this  Scriptural,  time-honored  custom 
be  perpetuated.  At  least  twice  a  day,  let  every 
home  be  gladdened  with  tuneful  worship,  and,  as 
we  see  our  children  uniting  in  the  service,  let  us 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


73 


thank  God  that  "  out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and 
sucklings  He  has  perfected  praise." 

*'  Come  to  the  place  of  prayer! 
Ye  band  of  loving  hearts,  O  come  and  raise, 
With  one  consent,  the  grateful  song  of  praise 

To  Him  who  gives  you  a  lot  so  fair. 

'*  So  in  the  world  above, 
Parents  and  children  may  meet  at  last, 
When  this  their  weary  pilgrimage  is  past. 

To  mingle  their  joyful  notes  of  love." 

Wherever  it  can  be  done,  family  choirs  should  be 
formed  and  maintained.  If  parents  and  children 
would  frequently  spend  the  evening  in  singing,  the 
most  happy  effects  would  ensue.  The  gay  world 
spreads  out  before  the  young  its  bewitching  at- 
tractions, and  they  are  ever  prone  to  overstep  the 
line  which  separates  the  ,  territory  of  innocent 
enjoyment  from  the  enchanted  ground  of  sinful 
pleasure.  To  enable  them  to  resist  these  danger- 
ous fascinations,  let  home  be  made  an  Elysium. 
The  concord  of  sweet  sounds,  in  the  bower  or 
around  the  fireside,  will  be  a  formidable  rival  to 
the  fashionable  follies  of  the  ball-room,  and  to  the 
ensnaring  convivialities  of  the  drinking-saloon. 
At  home  let  music  and  flowers,  and  all  other  inno- 
cent and  lovely  things,  be  laid  under  contribution, 
and  an  influence  will  be  exerted  upon  the  young 
mind  which  will  lead  to  high  aspirations  and 
noble  deeds.  The  flowing  numbers  of  song  act  as 
so  many  fleet-footed  scape-goats  to  bear  the  genius 


74 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


of  family  broils  far  away  into  the  wilderness. 
How  can  parents  be  impatient  or  irascible  in  tlie 
midst  of  music?  How  can  children  be  petulant 
or  disobedient?  How  can  servants  be  obstinate 
or  rebellious  ?  In  this  world,  where  there  is  so 
much  to  irritate  and  annoy,  let  us,  as  far  as  we 
can,  make  the  atmosphere  about  us  tremulous 
with  soothing  sounds. 

Every  family  is  subject  to  reverses  and  afflic- 
tions, but  a  musical  family  can  scarcely  be  un- 
happy. Amid  the  wane  of  fortune  and  the  shadows 
of  distress,  music  charms  the  desponding  heart, 
leading  it  onward  to  the  light  of  sunny  days 
which  are  yet  to  dawn. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


75 


CHAPTER  II. 

SINGING  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 

Music  should  be  Taught  in  all  our  Literary  Institutions  —  Pupils  can 
usually  learn  Music  with  ease  —  General  Conference  Action  — 
Bishop  Andrew  on  the  same  subject — Singing  in  the  Schools  in 
Prussia  —  What  Luther  says  —  President  J.  M.  Bonnell  —  Dr. 
Thomas  Hastings  —  N.  D.  Gould  —  Dr.  Rush  Recommends 
Vocal  Music  —  Horace  Walpole  —  Instrumental  Music  in  Female 
Colleges  —  Bishop  Andrew  desires  Sacred  Songs  —  Singing  in 
the  Sabbath-school  —  The  Singing  of  Children  —  A  I^Iusical 
Theology  for  Children. 

It  is  self-evident  that  the  pupil  should  he 
taught,  as  far  as  possible,  everything  that  will 
conduce  to  success  in  this  life  and  to  happiness  in 
the  life  to  come.  Hence  we  conclude  that  music, 
whose  influence  is  most  animating  and  benign, 
should  be  taught  in  all  our  literary  institutions. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  music  is  a  beautiful  and 
useful  science,  is  it  not  strange  that  it  has  been  so 
much  neglected  in  this  land  which  boasts  so  loudly 
of  a  high  Christian  civilization  ?  And  yet  thous- 
ands of  American  youth  of  both  sexes  have  passed 
from  the  nursery  to  the  school,  and  thence  to  the 
college,  and  have  graduated  with  the  highest  scho- 
lastic honors,  in  total  ignorance  of  the  science  of 
music !    To  the  literati  in  other  countries  it  must 


76 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


appear  marvelous  that  in  many  of  our  institutions 
for  males,  from  the  primary  school  to  the  most 
renowned  university,  there  are  no  facilities  af- 
forded for  the  acquisition  of  musical  knov^^ledge. 
Music  is  not  in  the  curriculum  ;  it  claims  no  day, 
no  hour,  from  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the 
student's  career :  it  is  ignored  as  if  not  worthy  of 
the  attention  of  educated  men. 

As  a  science,  music,  of  course,  has  its  philosophy. 
It  is  at  the  farthest  possible  remove  from  an  arbi- 
trary blending  of  incoherent  fragments.  It  has 
its  rules  and  its  reasons — its  theory  and  its  prac- 
tice. Therefore,  while  it  greatly  enhances  our 
usefulness  and  happiness,  the  study  of  the  science 
is  an  excellent  means  of  mental  discipline. 

Is  it  not  manifest  that,  in  all  our  schools,  acade- 
mies and  colleges,  instruction  should  be  given  in 
vocal  music?  We  should  certainly  make  the 
practical  admission  that  the  science  which  espe- 
cially aids  us  in  the  worship  of  God  is  as  import- 
ant as  the  science  of  numbers,  by  which  w^e  carry 
on  trade  and  increase  our  earthly  substance.  We 
should  be  as  ready  to  eliminate  arithmetic  from 
the  course  of  studies  prescribed  for  the  young  as 
to  omit  music. 

Let  no  one  conclude  that  we  would  impose  upon 
teachers  an  unreasonable  burden.  Very  few  per- 
sons are  destitute  of  the  ability  to  sing,  and  all 
sane  persons  are  capable  of  acquiring  the  science 
of  music.    Every  teacher  who  is  Avorthy  of  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SO^^G. 


77 


name  can,  with  proper  effort,  give  instruction  in 
this  branch  of  learning  as  in  any  other  department. 
There  is  no  real  difficulty  in  the  way. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the  science  is  too 
abstruse  to  be  acquired  by  boys  and  girls :  the 
success  uniformly  achieved  wherever  due  exertion 
has  been  made  gives  a  palpable  contradiction  to 
the  hypothesis.  A  youth  of  suitable  age  who  is 
incapable  of  understanding  the  principles  of  vocal 
music,  when  simplified  and  explained  by  a  com- 
petent teacher,  is  incapable  of  mastering  any 
science  whatever,  and  the  case  may  be  given  up 
as  hopeless. 

Unlike  most  other  studies,  this  is  a  delightful 
recreation  rather  than  a  work  of  toil  and  fatigue ; 
for,  while  its  principles  are  clearly  developed  and 
systematically  presented  to  the  pupil,  there  is  an 
inspiration  connected  with  the  practical  part 
which  refreshes  and  invigorates  the  mind. 

ITearly  every  one  has  a  natural  fondness  for 
singing ;  but,  in  the  case  of  thousands,  this  de- 
sire is  permitted  to  lie  dormant  until  it  dies 
for  want  of  exercise.  Take  any  other  science — 
chemistry,  for  example — and,  leaving  it  out  of  the 
regular  school  and  college  course,  trust  to  its  being 
learned  by  chance  in  a  few  lessons  given  by  an 
itinerant  lecturer,  or  otherwise,  and  how  many  of 
the  educated  in  our  country  would  have  a  taste  for 
it,  or  be  proficient  in  it?  We  can  easily  account 
for  the  deplorable  neglect  of  music  which  exists  in 


78 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


many  parts  of  the  United  States  and  elsewhere, 
on  the  ground  that  the  talent  for  it  is  not  called 
into  exercise  in  the  most  impressible  and  buoyant 
period  of  life.  Daily  let  the  school-house  and  the 
academy  ring  with  the  glad  voices  of  the  enthusi- 
astic tyros,  and  there  is  no  danger  that  the  science 
will  be  forgotten,  or  fall  into  desuetude,  in  the 
college,  or  in  after  life. 

We  never  can  be  a  nation  of  singers  until  we 
follow  the  example  of  the  Germans  and  enthrone 
music  in  the  temple  of  knowledge,  as  we  have 
done  the  other  sciences.  For  the  last  few  years  a 
gratifying  advance  in  this  direction  has  been 
manifest  in  this  country,  as  well  in  the  South  as 
in  the  North,  but  the  reform  is  yet  in  its  infancy. 

The  action  of  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  in  the  year 
1858,  on  this  subject,  is  especially  gratifying  and 
prophetic  of  reform.  The  Report  of  the  Committee 
on  Education,  which  was  adopted  by  the  Confer- 
ence, is  very  emphatic,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  fol- 
lowing extract :  "  It  is  believed  that  vocal  music 
could  be  introduced  with  advantage  into  all  our 
primary  and  preparatory  schools  as  a  constant 
and  required  exercise.  We  rejoice  to  know  that 
efforts  are  making  in  some  quarters  to  promote 
this  end.  We  trust  that  the  Church  will  sustain 
these  laudable  efforts  by  getting  up  and  publish- 
ing suitable  music,  and  by  every  other  practicable 
method.    Surely  there  is  no  poetry  more  beautiful 


I 

THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG.  79 

or  sublime  than  sacred  poetry :  no  music  better 
calculated  to  move  the  heart  than  sacred  music. 
Is  it  not,  then,  a  burning  shame  that  it  is  so 
neglected  in  our  Church  schools  ?  We  would 
most  earnestly  urge  all  who  have  these  educa- 
tional interests  under  their  control  to  look  well  to 
this  matter." 

Let  the  very  important  fact  brought  to  view 
in  the  foregoing  extract  be  carefully  considered. 
In  distinct  and  ^cery  earnest  tones  the  voice  of 
the  Church  has  gone  over  her  wide- spread  terri- 
tory, calling  to  all  her  members  and  friends,  and 
especially  to  her  educators,  to  take  steps  for  the 
impartation  of  instruction  in  music  in  all  schools 
under  her  influence.  ^ 

Let  us  hear  Bishop  Andrew,  of  the  same  Church, 
on  this  subject.  Speaking  of  the  Report  from 
which  we  have  just  quoted  a  paragraph,  he  says : 
"  There  is  another  subject  noticed  in  it  which  de- 
mands a  passing  word.  It  is  the  recommendation 
of  music  as  a  proper  part  of  the  course  of  study 
in  all  our  institutions  of  learning.  We  are  glad 
that  attention  is  called  to  this  subject,  and  hope 
that  those  who  direct  our  educational  operations 
will  give  it  their  serious  and  early  attention.  We 
believe  that  education,  properly  understood,  is  the 
cultivation  of  all  the  faculties  which  can  be  made 
available  for  our  improvement,  mentally,  morally 
and  physically. 

Music  forms  an  important  part  in  the  course 


80 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


of  instruction.  In  Prussia  it  enters  into  the  course 
from  the  primary  school  up,  with  a  view  to  im- 
prove the  voice,  and  also  to  enable  the  pupils  to 
unite  in  the  solemn  services  of  religion — very  im- 
portant objects,  both  of  them,  which  we  in  this 

country  too  much  ignore  Should  we 

not  begin,  even  in  childhood,  to  learn  and  practice 
the  delightful  lessons  which  shall  employ  our 
powers  in  all  their  exalted  perfection  in  that 
bright  world  to  which  at  last  we  hope  to  go?" 

We  may  add  that  the  schools  in  Prussia  are 
always  opened  and  closed  with  religious  exercises, 
of  which  the  singing  of  hymns  forms  a  part.  "  The 
\  teachers  in  those  schools  say  that  they  regard 
the  singing  as  the  most  efiicient  means  of  bring- 
ing a  scholar  under  a  perfect  discipline  by  moral 
influence  ;  and  that,  in  the  case  of  vicious  youth, 
the  reading  of  the  Bible  and  the  singing  of  hymns 
are  among  the  most  efficient  instruments  employed 
for  softening  the  hard  heart  and  bringing  the 
stubborn  will  to  docility." 

Luther  says :  "I  desire  that  the  young,  who 
ought  to  be  educated  in  music  as  well  as  in  other 
good  arts,  may  have  something  to  take  the  place 
of  worldly  and  amorous  songs,  and  so  learn  some- 
thing useful  and  practice  something  virtuous." 

In  the  schools  founded  on  the  plan  of  Luther 
and  Melancthon,  nearly  one-fourth  part  of  the 
school  hours  v^as  devoted  to  music.  As  the  result 
of  these  efforts,  "  the  hymns  spread  among  all 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


81 


classes  of  people,  and  were  sung  not  only  in  the 
cliurclies  and  schools,  but  also  in  the  houses  and 
in  the  workshops,  in  the  streets  and  in  the  market- 
places, in  the  harns  and  in  the  fields." 

President  J.  M.  Bonnell,  of  the"Wesley  an  Female 
College,  in  an  earnest  plea  for  ^'  a  varied  but 
homogeneous,  universal,  permanent  and  heart- 
stirring  Church  music,"  says :  "  Our  male  colleges 
and  universities  must  take  this  matter  in  hand. 
They  must  place  in  their  Faculties  a  chair  of  mu- 
sic. It  could  very  properly  be  combined  with 
orator}^,  and  the  incumbent  be  called  the  Profes- 
sor of  Yocal  Culture.  But  that  in  each  case  would 
depend  upon  the  happy  accomplishment  of  the 
Professor  himself.  "What  we  recommend  is,  that 
a  gentleman  of  true  scholarly  attainments,  accom- 
plished in  the  whole  science  of  music,  able  to 
teach  and  train  the  voice,  shall  be  admitted  to 
equal  rank  with  the  other  Professors,  and  be  re- 
quired to  instruct  all  the  students,  or  so  many  as 
would  avail  themselves  of  the  privilege,  in  the 
principles  and  practice  of  singing.  For  the  sake 
of  those  who  expect  to  become  teachers,  he  should 
inculcate  the  true  manner  of  inducting  young  pu- 
pils into  a  knowledge  of  musical  notation  and 
some  skill  in  singing  from  it,  and,  especially,  in 
those  principles  of  good  taste  which  are  connected 

with  congregational  singing  The 

educated  men  of  the  Church  must  come  to  the 
rescue  in  this  matter.    They  must  give  their  coun- 


82 


THE  SP^RYICE  OF  SOl^G. 


tenance  to  vocal  musical  culture.  Tliey  must  in- 
vite it,  if  not  demand  it,  in  the  teachers  of  their 
boys'  schools,  and  our  colleges  must  inaugurate 
the  movement." 

Dr.  Thomas  Hastings,  who  has  done  so  much 
to  advance  the  cause  of  Church  music  in  America, 
remarks,  that  "  early  cultivation  in  this  art,  when 
rightly  directed,  is  uniformly  successful." 

N.  D.  Gould,  Esq.,  one  of  the  first  teachers  of 
juvenile  music  schools  in  this  country,  speaking 
of  the  difficulties  with  which  he  had  to  contend 
about  forty  years  ago,  says  :  "  It  was  a  new  idea, 
and  no  one  wished  to  commence  the  experiment. 
The  general  impression  and  language  was,  that 
for  children  to  sing  while  young  would  injure  their 
voices,  their  health,  and  take  their  attention  from 
other  studies  ;  and,  although  to  learn  to  sing  was 
vf  ell  enough,  still  it  was  of  secondary  consequence. 
It  might  be  done  if  perfectly  convenient ;  if  not,  it 
was  just  as  well  to  omit  it.  Although  it  could  be 
made  evident  that  the  employment  was  a  pleasant 
one,  useful  through  life,  and  a  source  of  comfort 
when  many  other  branches  of  education  would 
cease  to  be  useful,  or  even  to  be  noticed,  yet,  after 
all  the  persuasion  in  our  power,  we  could  not  suc- 
ceed in  obtaining  a  class  until  we  resorted  to  the 
expedient  of  teaching  the  art  of  writing  in  con- 
nection with  music — writing  and  singing  altern- 
ately half  an  hour  for  two  hours. 

"  In  this  way,  for  the  sake  of  the  writing,  we  col- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


83 


lected  scliools  of  about  twenty-five  each,  at  tliree 
different  points,  and  our  patrons  were  so  well  satis- 
fied with  the  experiment,  that  after  one  term  there 
was  no  difiiculty  in  collecting  scholars  to  attend 

to  singing  alone  It  was  a  w^ell-known 

fact  in  all  places,  notwithstanding  the  fears  ex- 
pressed by  parents  that  it  would  injure  the  voice 
and  health,  that  the  best  voices  and  the  best  singers 
were  those  who  belonged  to  musical  families,  who 
were  accustomed  to  sing  from  childhood  upward ; 
and  those  who  feared  injuring  the  lungs  did  not 
consider  how  any  part  of  the  system  is  strength- 
ened by  constant  use  ;  and  we  presume  the  same 
parents  never  troubled  themselves  about  the  cry- 
ing and  screaming  of  their  children  through  fear 
of  injury  tq  their  lungs.  Much  less  should  they 
fear  the  gentle  exercise  of  the  voice  to  make 
melodious  sounds.  Besides,  the  child  that  loves 
to  sing  will  be  singing  something,  in  some  way, 
whether  taught  or  not.  How  necessary,  then,  that 
they  learn  to  sing  understandingly !  As  to  its  di- 
verting the  mind  from  other  studies,  experience  has 
proved  the  contrary.  Teachers  of  common  schools, 
where  singing  is  made  a  part  of  the  exercises, 
have  universally  acknowledged  that  the  best 
singers  were  usually  the  best  scholars  in  other 
studies." 

Some  years  ago,  in  a  Western  city,  a  gentleman 
proposed  the  introduction  of  vocal  music  into  the 
public  schools ;  but  the  opposition  to  the  measure 


84 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


was  general  and  decided.  He  tlien  proposed  to 
teach  the  scholars  in  two  of  the  schools  gratis  for 
one  year.  The  proposition  was  accepted,  and  four 
schools,  instead  of  two,  received  instruction  from 
him  in  singing.  At  the  close  of  the  rear  the  evi- 
dence in  favor  of  the  plan  was  so  conclusive  that 
he  was  employed  for  the  year  ensuing — a  liberal 
salary  being  given  him — to  teach  in  a  large  num- 
ber of  schools,  and  when  he  concluded  his  labors 
others  were  employed  in  his  stead. 

Dr.  Kush,  in  his  Essay  on  Elocution,  says  :  "To 
those  who  have  studied  human  nature,  it  will  not 
appear  paradoxical  to  recommend  a  particular 
attention  to  vocal  music ;  its  effects  in  civilizing 
the  mind,  and  thereby  preparing  the  young  for  the 
influence  of  religion  and  government,  have  so  often 
been  felt  and  recorded  that  it  will  be  unnecessary 
to  mention  facts  in  favor  of  its  usefulness.*' 

Again,  in  his  Essay  on  Female  Education,  Dr. 
Rush  remarks,  that  '*  Vocal  music  should  never 
be  neglected  in  the  education  of  a  young  lady  in 

this  country  The  exercise  of  the  organs 

of  the  breast,. by  singing,  contributes  very  much 
to  defend  them  from  those  diseases  to  which  they 
are  exposed  by  our  climate  and  other  causes.  Our 
German  fellow-citizens  are  seldom  affected  with 

consumption  This,  I  believe,  is  in  part 

occasioned  by  the  strength  which  their  lungs 
acquire  by  exercising  frequently  in  vocal  music. 
Mr.  Adger  informed  me  that  he  had  known  sev- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


85 


eral  instances  of  persons  strongly  disposed  to 
consumption  who  were  restored  to  health  by  the 
moderate  exercise  of  their  lungs  in  singing." 

Horace  Walpole  says :  "  Teach  your  children 
music.  You  Avill  stare  at  a  strange  notion  of 
mine ;  if  it  appears  even  a  mad  one,  do  not  won- 
der. Had  I  children,  my  utmost  endeavors  would 
be  to  breed  them  musicians.  As  I  have  no  ear, 
nor  even  thought  of  music,  the  preference  seems 
odd ;  and  yet  it  is  embraced  on  mature  reflection. 
It  is  the  most  probable  method  to  make  them 
happy.  It  is  a  resource  that  will  last  them 
through  life." 

We  have  now  heard  an  expression  of  opinion 
in  regard  to  the  utility  of  vocal  music  in  schools, 
from  the  Church,  the  great  reformer,  the  bishop, 
the  college  president,  the  veteran  music  teacher, 
the  common  school  authorities,  the  eminent  phys- 
ician, and  the  Earl  of  Oxford.  To  these  favorable 
and  forcible  utterances  much  more  mio-ht  be 

o 

added,  but  we  forbear. 

The  foregoing  paragraphs  refer  particularly  to 
vocal  music.  We  venture  a  few  suggestions  in 
regard  to  instrumental  music  in  female  colleges. 
Respecting  the  style  of  music  most  to  be  desired, 
we  take  occasion  to  express  a  decided  preference 
for  that  which  is  comparatively  plain  and  simple. 
We  would  not  decry  science,  nor  reject  artistic 
excellence ;  but  we  submit  that  what  are  usually 
called  fashionable  or  operatic  performances  have 


86 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


in  them  an  excess  of  art,  savoring  of  affectation, 
reminding  us  of  bombast  in  oratory  or  gaudi- 
ness  in  apparel.  A  st}- le  less  pretentious  is  more 
in  unison  witli  nature,  sweeter  and  more  subduing 
in  its  effects — more  powerful  to  thrill  and  capti- 
vate the  soul. 

We  think,  too,  that  the  music  used  should  be 
very  carefully  selected.  Amorous  or  theatrical 
pieces,  and  Ethiopian  melodies  —  all  effusions 
which  tend  to  degrade  the  taste,  enfeeble  the  in- 
tellect or  vitiate  the  heart,  should,  of  course,  be 
promptly  eschewed. 

Our  female  colleges  operating  under  Church 
auspices  are  pledged  to  guard  their  pupils  against 
evil  influences,  and  to  lead  them  along  in  the 
straight  and  narrow  way.  Those  pupils  who  have 
been  destitute  of  religious  instruction  at  home 
should  here  be  taught  "  the  Avisdom  which  is  from 
above,"  while  the  piety  of  religious  pupils  should 
be  carefully  fostered.  Vital  Christianity  without 
bigotry  and  proselytism,  should  be  the  motto  of 
every  institution. 

It  has  been  well  said  that  music  has  a  moral 
character  independently  of  the  poetry  to  which  it 
is  set.  This  moral  character  must  be  much  more 
decided  and  influential  when  the  sounds  are  made 
to  give  expression  to  words.  Whatever  sentiment 
is  clad  in  the  garb  of  poetry  and  music  must  have 
a  remarkable  potency,  either  for  good  or  evil,  and 
especially  when  the  subject  upon  w^hich  it  acts  is 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


87 


as  delicate  and  susceptible  as  the  opening  flower. 
How  carefully,  tlien,  sliould  we  exclude  from  our 
Christian  female  colleges  and  schools  all  musical 
publications  of  injurious  tendency ! 

Doubtless  quite  an  improvement  might  be  made 
in  many  institutions  by  clearing  away  all  the 
sentimental  trash  which  may  be  found  within  their 
walls,  and  substituting  instead  thereof  a  good 
supply  of  sacred  pieces.  As  to  poetry,  "  there  are 
no  songs  comparable  to  the  songs  of  Zion and, 
as  to  music,  there  is  none  better  fitted  to  charm 
the  ear  and  stir  the  soul  than  that  which  Divine 
worship  has  hallowed. 

Bishop  Andrew  says :  "  Our  schools  often 
employ  some  one  with  an  unpronounceable  name, 
who  is  often  an  infidel,  or,  if  not  thoroughly  so, 
at  least  he  ignores  all  spiritual  religion,  and  to 
him  we  commit  the  musical  training  of  our  beau- 
tiful, and  amiable,  and  sensitive,  and  impressible 
daughters.  'No  wonder  we  can  hardly  ever  get  a 
sacred  song  out  of  one  of  them.  We  call  on  our 
daughters  for  music,  and  they  cram  us  with  a 
waltz,  or  some  wild,  moon-struck  love  ditty! 
Surely  it  is  time  these  matters  were  mended ;  and 
to  the  Church,  to  the  Christian  schools  of  the 
country,  we  must  look  for  reform." 

We  can  not  more  appropriately  close  this  chap- 
ter than  b}''  devoting  a  few  paragraphs  to  the 
subject  of  music  in  the  Sabbath-school. 

It  is  difiicult  to  give  to  the  institution  a  thor- 


88 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


oughly  religions  character.  It  is  to  be  feared  that 
in  many  of  our  Sabbath- schools  there  is  a  sad 
want  of  spirituality.  How  may  the  young  heart 
be  softened?  How  may  the  thoughts  be  directed 
heavenward  ?  How  may  the  children  be  impressed 
v/ith  the  great  fact  that  they  have  assembled  for 
the  express  purpose  of  learning  how  to  be  holy 
and  happy  ? 

Great  importance  should  certainly  be  attached 
to  the  devotional  services,  and,  in  these  exercises, 
singing  should  have  a  prominent  place.  Singing, 
not  to  display  the  industry  and  tact  of  the  teacher, 
nor  the  smartness  of  the  scholar,  but  singing  in 
which  God  is  earnestly  and  reverently  praised. 

"We  liave  reason  to  believe  that,  in  many  of  oui 
Sabbath-schools, the  song  service  only  extends  to 
two  or  three  stanzas  at  the  opening  of  the  school, 
but  few  of  the  children  sing,  and  but  little  interest 
is  felt  in  the  exercise.  How  much  is  lost  in  con- 
sequence of  this  indifference  it  is  impossible  to 
ascertain.  But  we  are  glad  to  know  that  the  sing- 
ing in  som^e  of  our  schools  is  such  as  to  illustrate 
the  beauty  and  utility  of  juvenile  sacred  song. 
There  is  an  attractiveness,  an  inspiration  in  it 
that  thrills  the  child's  heart,  breaks  the  monotony 
and  beguiles  the  tedium  of  the  ordinary  routine, 
and  brings  to  mind  the  holy  employments  and 
rapturous  joys  of  saints  and  angels  in  heaven. 

If  singing  should  constitute  a  daily  exercise  in 
literary  institutions,  how  much  more  should  it 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


89 


claim  attention  in  the  Sunday-school?  We  can 
not  too  forcibly  urge  upon  all  superintendents  and 
teachers  the  great  importance  of  cultivating  in  the 
youthful  mind  the  love  of  sacred  song.  We  be- 
lieve that  by  this  means  many  a  languishing 
Sunday-school  might  be  resuscitated,  and  that 
many  that  are  in  successful  operation  might  be 
greatly  improved  as  to  the  character  of  the  influ- 
ence exerted.  If  we  vrould  impart  to  the  institution 
a  lively,  jubilant,  aggressive  character,  we  must 
engage  the  voices,  charm  the  ears  and  exhilarate 
the  souls  of  those  who  attend.  Oh,  for  the  power 
of  song  to  give  a  new  impulse  to  this  great  enter- 
prise I 

Where  the  children  sing  well,  the  reflex  influ- 
ence upon  the  teachers,  the  parents,  and  upon  the 
world  is  most  salutary.  What  heart  has  not  been 
melted  with  the  sweet,  artless  strains  which  pro- 
ceed from  the  lips  of  childhood  ?  At  Sabbath- 
school  festivals  it  is  not  unfrequently  the  case  that 
the  singing  is  the  chief  attraction.  Sometimes  it 
sounds  as  if  a  company  of  seraphs  had  come  from 
the  spirit  land  to  give  us  a  sjDecimen  of  angelic 
minstrelsy.  This  shows  what  children  can  do 
when  properly  trained. 

"There  is,"  says  Longfellow,  "something  ex- 
ceedingly thrilling  in  the  voices  of  children  sing- 
ing. Though  their  music  be  unskilful,  yet  it  finds 
its  way  to  the  heart  with  wonderful  celerity. 
Voices  of  cherubs  are  they,  for  they  breathe  of 


90 


THE  SESVICE  OF  SONG. 


paradise  ;  clear,  liquid  tones,  that  flow  from  pure 
lips  and  innocent  hearts,  like  the  sweetest  notes 
of  a  flute,  or  the  falling  of  water  from  a  fountain." 

The  good  effect  of  proper  attention  to  singing 
in  our  Sabbath- schools  would  soon  be  visible  in 
the  Church  service.  The  children  having  learned 
many  of  the  hymns  and  tunes,  and  having  im- 
bibed the  spirit  of  singing,  would  naturally  desire 
to  join  with  the  congregation  in  the  service  of 
praise ;  and  this  would  have  a  powerful  tendency 
to  make  the  worship  pleasant  and  profitable 
to  them.  ISTor  would  it  be  long  before  the 
best  singers  would  be  found  to  be  those  who  had 
been  trained  in  the  Sabbath-school.  This  is  in 
fact  the  most  successful  mode  of  improving  our 
Church  music. 

"  Our  best  reliance,"  says  Mr.  Willis,  "for  the 
support  of  congregational  song  is,  I  am  satisfied, 
that  which,  perhaps,  might  not  at  first  suggest  it- 
self— children.  Children  are  the  future  Church. 
But,  aside  from  this,  the  earnestness  of  their  young, 
fresh  natures ;  the  facility  with  which  they  learn ; 
the  pathetic  innocence  of  their  voices,  and  the 
strong  appeal  of  their  example,  as  well  as  their 
music,  to  the  hearts  of  parents  and  older  persons 
present,  render  them  of  signal  service  in  congre- 
gational song." 

Then  let  the  children  cry,  Hosanna !  in  the  tem- 
ple. Give  us  for  them  a  poetical,  musical  theology. 
Let  the  Sabbath-school  be,  in  reality,  the  school 


TEIE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


91 


of  Cbrist.  Attune  infantile  voices  for  nobler  strains 
in  the  New  Jerusalem.  Let  tlie  3'oung  soldiers  in 
the  army  of  the  Lord  march  forth  to  the  conflict 
to  the  inspiring  notes  of  sacred  music ;  and  when 
the  warfare  is  ended,  let  their  victories  be  cele- 
brated in  the  poetry  and  song  of  immortality. 


92 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


PART  THIRD. 

SINGING  IN  THE  WORSHIPING  CONGREGATION. 


SECTION  I.— WHO  SHOULD  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

ALL    SHOULD  SING. 

The  Object  of  Congregational  Singing  —  Many  of  our  Hymns  are 
Prayers  —  Singing  takes  its  stand  with  Preaching  and  Praying — 
Congregational  Singing  the  Oldest  Style  of  Music  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church  —  The  Transition  to  the  Clergy  —  Luther  Restored 
Music  to  the  People —  Singing  a  part  of  Divine  Worship  —  White- 
field's  Preaching  and  the  Singing  —  The  Hibernian  in  the  Sack  at 
Wexford  —  The  Tavern-keeper  —  Musical  Works  issued  by  the 
Wesleys  —  Rules  in  the  Methodist  Discipline  —  But  few,  com- 
paratively, Sing  —  Preachers  must  Lead  in  the  Reformation. 

**  Lord,  how  delightful  'tis  to  see 
A  whole  assembly  worship  Thee  ! 
At  once  they  sing,  at  once  they  pray ; 
They  hear  of  heaven  and  learn  the  way. 
I  have  been  there,  and  still  would  go ; 
'Tis  like  a  httle  heaven  below."  — Watts. 

In  answering  the  question,  Wlio  should  sing? 
let  US  recur  to  the  fact  that  the  object  of  congre- 
gational singing  is  the  worship  of  God.  The  word 
worship,  in  its  primary  signification,  gives  us  the 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


93 


idea  of  wortli,  wortliship,  or  worthiness.  Religious 
worship  is  the  act  of  paying  Divine  honors  to  the 
Supreme  Being.  The  forms  of  worship  are  various. 

All  the  exercises  and  ordinances  pertaining  to 
the  Church  are  designed  to  be  means  of  grace — 
media  through  which  the  soul  is  uplifted  to  God, 
and  through  which  spiritual  supplies  are  conveyed 
to  the  soul.  Hence  it  is  obvious  that  all  the  de- 
partments of  Divine  service  should  be  so  arranged 
and  conducted  as  to  conduce  most  directly  and 
fully  to  this  end.  Prayer  should  be  offered  at  the 
right  time,  and  in  the  right  spirit.  Suitable  por- 
tions of  the  Word  should  be  read  with  becoming 
earnestness  and  solemnity.  The  preaching  should 
be  evangelical,  plain,  practical,  powerful.  But 
what  of  the  singing?  Is  it  less  important  than 
the  other  departments  of  Divine  service  ?  Surely 
not.  All  other  forms  of  worship  are  temporary,  but 
praise  shall  employ  the  noblest  powers  of  saints 
and  angels  forever.  That  precept  which  is  most 
frequently  urged  and  reiterated  in  the  Scriptures 
is  the  one  which  enjoins  praise  to  God. 

Again,  many  of  our  hymns  are  in  reality 
prayers,  and  it  has  been  well  said  that  the  singing 
of  these  hymns  by  the  congregation  is  the  highest 
form  of  prayer — prayer  uttered  by  the  combined 
voices  of  the  assembly  —  prayer  shouted  to  the 
heavens.  It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  the  service 
of  song  is  designed  to  be  a  real  power  in  the 
Church,  and  that  all  the  lovers  of  Zion  should  be 


94 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


most  solicitous  to  engage  in  it  according  to  the 
Divine  will. 

"  Singing  is  a  service  wliicli  comes  under  the 
direct  notice  of  both  preachers  and  people — the 

ignorant  and  the  learned  It  takes  its 

stand  with  preaching  and  praying,  and  is  one  of 
the  very  staple  ordinances  of  religion  by  which 
the  soul  carries  on  holy  commerce  with  heaven."  * 

"  More  than  upon  any  other  means,  our  religious 
life  is  dependent  upon  the  spirituality,  ade- 
quacy, and  inspiration  of  our  worship- song.  The 
hymnology  of  the  Church  aims  at  the  perfect  ex- 
pression of  all  that  is  purest  and  noblest  in  the 
spiritual  life.  If  prayer  expresses  its  lower  moods 
of  need  and  sorrow,  praise  expresses  its  higher 
moods  of  satisfaction  and  joy.  Prayer  seeks; 
praise  proffers.  Prayer  is  a  beseeching  and  a  wail ; 
praise  a  worship  and  a  psean  Prayer  asks  God 
to  come  to  us ;  praise  seeks  to  go  to  God.  The 
soul  that  prays  falls  prostrate  with  its  face  to  the 
ground,  often  being  in  agony ;  the  soul  that  praises 
stands  with  uplifted  brow  and  transfigured  counte- 
nance, ready  to  soar  away  to  heaven."  f 

Viewing  the  subject  in  this  light,  can  we  be  at 
a  loss  for  an  answer  to  the  question.  Who  should 
sing?  Are  w^e  not  all  the  workmanship  of  the 
Divine  hand,  subjects  of  the  Divine  govern- 
ment, recipients  of  the  Divine  bounty?  Can  any 
of  the  children  of  men  fail  to  engage  in  any  part 

*  Thomas  Hirst.  t  Rev.  H.  Allon. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


95 


of  the  worship  of  the  Most  Higli  and  be  blameless  ? 

All  who  have  the  ability  to  sing  are  most 
assuredly  bound  to  do  so  in  the  best  manner  pos- 
sible ;  and  if  there  be  individuals  wdio  have  no 
ear  and  no  voice  for  music,  they  are  also  required 
to  unite  in  the  service  by  making  melody  in  their 
hearts  to  the  Lord.  Thus  the  whole  congregation 
should  unite  in  celebrating  the  praises  of  the 
triune  God. 

This  was  the  practice  of  the  Christian  Church 
in  the  early  ages  of  her  history.  A  late  writer,* 
treating  of  what  he  calls  "  the  music  of  the  people," 
informs  us  upon  reliable  authority  that  "  this  is 
the  oldest  style  of  music  in  the  Christian  Church. 
During  the  first  three  hundred  years  after  Christ 
there  was  no  other.  The  singing  of  the  early 
Christians  was  wholly  congregational.  Shortly 
subsequent  to  the  year  300  the  first  change  oc- 
curred—  that  of  responsive  singing.  This  mode 
of  singing  was  first  practiced  in  the  Syrian 
Churches:  about  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century 
it  was  introduced  by  Flavian  and  Diodorus  into 
the  Eastern  Churches ;  thence  transferred,  in  the 
year  370,  to  the  Western  Churches  by  Ambrose, 
and  soon  came  into  general  use  under  the  name  of 
the  Ambrosian  style  of  music.  As  this  responsive 
singing  was  performed  by  the  people,  the  music 
still  retained  its  congregational  character. 

"  Choir  music  was  introduced  into  the  Church 

*  Richard  Storrs  Willis. 


96 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SO^^G. 


in  tlie  fourth  century.  At  tliis  time  a  distinct 
class  of  persons  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of 
this  part  of  religious  worship.  But  the  people 
continued,  for  a  century  or  more,  to  enjoy,  in  some 
measure,  their  ancient  privilege  of  singing  to- 
gether— joining  occasionally  in  the  chorus  and 

singing  the  responses  The  clergy 

eventually  claimed  the  right  of  performing  sacred 
music  as  a  privilege  exclusively  their  own.  Thus, 
from  the  people,  it  would  seem,  Church  music 
passed,  first  to  certain  appointed  officers  of  the 
Church,  and  from  them  to  the  clergy ;  and,  the 
more  effectually  to  exclude  the  people  from  any 
participation  in  this  exercise,  the  singing  was  now 
in  Latin. 

"  This  entire  monopoly  of  the  music  by  the 
clergy  continued  until  the  era  of  the  Reformation, 
when  Luther  restored,  as  the  sacram^ental  cup  to 
the  mouth,  so  music  to  the  lips  of  the  people." 

"  From  the  first  and  Apostolic  age  singing  was 
always  a  part  of  Divine  service,  in  which  the 
whole  body  of  the  Church  joined  together."* 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Methodist  Church  has 
uniformly  uttered  an  emphatic  voice  in  favor  of 
congregational  singing.    The  genius  of  Method- 
ism requires  this  style  of  Church  music. 
Methodism   has  been  happily  denominated, 
Christianity  in  earnest."    It  is  the  second  great 


Bingham. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


97 


revival  of  vital  godliness  tliat  the  world  has  wit- 
nessed since  the  da3^s  of  the  Apostles,  as  the 
Reformation  in  the  sixteenth  century  was  the  first. 
"Wesley an  Methodism  deplored  the  degeneracy  of 
the  times.  It  wept  over  the  laxity  and  deadness 
of  the  Establishment,  and  ardently  longed  for  the 
simplicity,  purity  and  power  of  primitive  Chris- 
tianity. The  hearts  of  the  great  founders  of 
Methodism  having  been  "  strangely  warmed,"  a 
new  song  was  put  into  their  mouths.  Animated 
by  the  spirit  of  Christ,  they  sang : 

"  0  that  the  world  might  taste  and  see 
The  riches  of  His  grace  I  " 

The  mighty  power  of  God  was  manifested  in 
various  places  in  the  conversion  of  penitents,  and 
in  the  sanctification  of  believers.  Societies  were 
formed,  and  stated  meetings  were  held.  Persecu- 
tion raged ;  and,  driven  from  the  churches,  the 
people  worshiped  in  the  fields.  The  field  preach- 
ing of  Wesley  and  W^hitefield,  in  the  year  1739,  be- 
came "  the  starting  point  of  our  modern  religious 
history." 

Methodism  has  always  attached  due  import- 
ance to  the  intellectual.  She  claims  the  venerable 
halls  and  "classic  shades"  of  the  University  of 
Oxford  as  the  place  of  her  nativity ;  and  thanks 
God  not  only  for  holy  hearts,  but  also  for  her 
facilities  for  mental  culture.  Nevertheless,  she 
has  always  put  the  heart  in  advance,  maintaining 

her  orthodoxy  by  her  spirituality,  rather  than  her 
7 


98  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

spirituality  by  her  orthodoxy.  Essentially  mis- 
sionary in  her  inception  and  in  her  progress,  she 
claims  the  world  for  her  parish,  and  stands 
pledged  to  active,  aggressive  movements  until  all 
hearts  are  aglow  with  love  to  God  and  man. 

With  such  an  esprit  de  corps^  could  it  be  ex- 
pected that  she  would  march  out  to  battle  silently, 
or  with  soulless  songs  ?  Might  we  not  rather  count 
on  hearing  in  the  van  of  her  armies  the  grandest 
and  most  stirring  notes  ? 

Go  with  Whitefield  to  Hannam  Mount,  at  Kings- 
wood,  England.  Fifteen  thousand  people  are  lis- 
tening attentively  and  solemnly  to  the  burning 
words  which  fall  from  the  lips  of  the  prince  of 
pulpit  orators.  The  sun  shines  brightly.  The 
trees  and  hedges  are  full  of  people.  "  Hundreds 
after  hundreds "  are  convicted  of  sin,  and  many 
of  these  poor  colliers  rejoice  in  a  knowledge  of 
pardon  through  Christ.  There  is  joy  on  earth, 
and  joy  in  heaven.  Survey  the  multitude  and 
listen  to  their  songs.  Whitefield  himself  says 
that  "  to  behold  such  crowds  standing  together, 
and  to  hear  the  echo  of  their  singing  resounding 
over  the  mighty  mass,  suggested  to  him  the  scene 
of  the  general  assembly  of  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect  when  they  shall  join  in  singing  the 
song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  in  heaven." 

Go  with  this  devoted  man  of  God  to  Kennington 
Common  in  London.  Besides  the  immense  num- 
bers who  come  in  carriages  and  on  horses,  thirty 


V 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG.  99 

or  forty  tliousand  on  foot  gatlier  around  liim. 
Listen  to  the  powerful  voice  of  the  preacher.  The 
message  of  mercy  may  be  heard  at  the  distance 
of  a  mile  from  the  place  where  he  stands.  When 
the  hymn  is  announced,  hear 

"  The  tides  of  music's  golden  sea, 
Setting  toward  eternity." 

Those  who  are  two  miles  off  pause  to  listen ! 

Such  were  the  scenes  which  the  Wesleys  and 
"Whitefield  witnessed  in  London,  Bristol,  New- 
castle, and  in  many  other  places.  The  uproar  of 
the  furious  mob  was  frequently  calmed  into  silence 
by  the  songs  of  the  multitude  rising  above  the 
harsh  dissonance  of  Satan's  hosts. 

On  the  12th  of  May,  1739,  the  corner-stone  of 
the  first  Methodist  Church  in  the  world  "  was  laid 
at  Bristol,  England,  with  the  voice  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving." 

So  generally  were  the  Methodist  tunes  known 
that  Mr.  Wesley,  as  he  traveled,  frequently  heard 
them  sung  or  whistled  by  the  children  of  Roman 
Catholics. 

The  Wesleyan  singing  was  a  great  power  to 
early  Methodism.  Charles  Wesley's  hymns,  with 
simple  but  effective  tunes,  spread  everywhere 
among  the  Wesle}' ans  ;  and  hundreds  of  hearers 
who  cared  not  for  the  preaching  were  charmed  to 
the  Methodist  assemblies  by  their  music.  It  se- 
cured them  much  success  among  the  susceptible 
Irish.    A  curious  example  of  its  j^ower  is  told  by 


100  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

one  of  the  Irish  preachers.  At  Wexford  the  so- 
ciety was  persecuted  by  Papists,  and  met  in  a 
closed  barn.  One  of  the  persecuters  had  agreed 
to  conceal  himself  within  it  beforehand,  that  he 
might  open  the  door  to  his  comrades  after  the 
people  were  assembled.  He  crept  into  a  sack 
hard  by  the  door.  The  singing  commenced,  but 
the  Hibernian  was  so  taken  with  the  music  that 
he  thought  he  would  hear  it  through  before  dis- 
turbing tlie  meeting.  He  was  so  gratified  that  at 
its  conclusion  lie  thought  he  would  hear  the  prayer 
also.  But  this  was  too  powerful  for  him.  He  was 
seized  with  remorse  and  trembling,  and  roared  out 
with  such  dismay  as  to  appal  the  congregation, 
who  began  to  believe  that  Satan  himself  was  in 
the  sack.  The  sack  was  at  last  pulled  off  of  him, 
and  disclosed  the  Irishman,  a  weeping  penitent 
praying  with  all  his  might.  He  was  permanently 
converted." 

"  A  tavern-keeper,  relishing  music,  went  to  one 
of  the  meetings  merely  to  hear  the  singing.  He 
was  afraid  of  the  preaching,  and  that  he  might 
not  hear  it,  sat  with  his  head  inclined,  and  his 
fingers  in  his  ears.  But  a  fly  lit  upon  his  nose, 
and  at  the  moment  he  attempted  to  drive  it  away 
with  one  of  his  hands,  the  preacher  uttered  with 
power  the  text:  'He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear.'  The  word  took  hold  upon  the  pub- 
lican's conscience,  and  he  found  no  relief  till  he 
became  a  converted  man." 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


101 


Of  course  tlie  chief  cliarm  of  the  early  Methodist 
singing  was  to  be  found  in  its  earnest,  popular, 
congregational  character.    The  people  sang  well. 

God  has  dealt  very  graciously  with  this  Church, 
in  giving  to  it  not  only  John  Wesley,  the  theo- 
logian and  ecclesiastical  legislator,  but  also 
Charles  Wesley,  the  poet  and  songster.  Nor  did 
the  former  attach  less  importance  to  devotional 
singing  than  did  the  Asaph  of  Methodism.  They 
delighted  greatly  in  social  as  well  as  congrega- 
tional singing. 

In  Charles  Wesley's  Journal,  page  100,  we  read 
of  his  meeting  with  three  friends  at  Islington,  fall- 
ing into  spiritual  conversation,  and  receiving  an 
account  of  the  great  blessing  vouchsafed  to  one 
of  them:  then  rejoicing  with  them  in  singing  and 
prayer,  and  leaving  the  rest  of  the  company 
''much  stirred  up  to  wait  for  the  unspeakable 
gift." 

On  the  115th  page  he  says :  "  We  met,  a  troop 
of  us,  at  Mr.  Sims'.  There  was  one  Mrs.  Harper 
there,  who  had  this  day  received  the  Spirit  by  the 
hearing  of  faith,  but  feared  to  confess  it.  We 
sang  the  '  Hymn  to  Christ.'    At  the  words, 

"  'Who  for  me,  for  me  hast  died,' 

she  burst  into  tears  and  outcries :  '  I  believe,  I  be- 
lieve ! '  and  sank  down." 

At  page  131  we  find  him  singing  hymns  on  faith, 
when  on  a  journey  to  Oxford.  His  conversation 
and  prayers  were  blessed  as  the  means  of  bring- 


102 


TIIE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


ing  a  fellow- traveler  to  a  knowledge  of  tlie  love 
of  God. 

On  page  136  he  says :  "  We  were  warmed  by 
reading  George  Wliitefield's  Journal.  I  walked 
with  Metcalf,  etc.,  in  great  joy,  wishing  for  a  place 
to  sing  in,  when  a  blacksmith  stopped  ns.  We 
turned  into  his  house,  sang  a  hymn,  and  went  on 
our  way  rejoicing." 

At  page  162  we  find  him  singing  in  the  garden 
with  a  little  company  of  like-minded  ones,  while 
the  sweetness  of  their  melody  draws  others  to 
them  to  receive  the  benefit  of  instruction  and 
prayer. 

The  Journals  of  the  brothers  abound  with  such 
entries  as  the  foregoing,  which  have  been  taken 
nearly  at  random. 

As  has  already  been  intimated,  the  excellency 
of  the  early  Methodist  singing  resulted  from  the 
great  importance  which  was  attached  to  a  personal, 
happy  experience  of  Divine  things ;  and  also^from 
the  piety,  and  musical,  and  poetical  talent  and 
taste  of  the  Wesleys,  displayed  in  their  unceasing 
and  painstaking  efforts  in  the  department  of 
praise. 

They  issued  their  first  Hymn-book  as  early  as 
1738,  the  year  in  which  they  were  brought  to  a 
saving  knowledge  of  Christ.  Many  other  publica- 
tions of  a  similar  character  were  brought  out  in 
quick'succession.  In  the  year  1742  John  Wesley 
issued  "A  Collection  of  Tunes  set  to  Music,  as 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


103 


svng  at  the  Foundry."  A  work  on  "  The  Grounds 
of  Vocal  Music"  was  published  by  him  shortly 
afterward.  Then  followed,  at  intervals,  three  other 
publications  on  "  Sacred  Harmony."  The  people 
were  urged  to  study  the  science  of  music,  and 
many  collections  of  hymns,  mostly  from  the  pen 
of  Charles  Wesley,  were  issued  at  different  times. 
Thus  the  Methodists  were  amply  supplied  with  a 
poetical  liturgy,  and  with  the  means  of  learning 
to  sing. 

The  liveliness  of  the  Wesleyan  Church  music 
was,  to  a  considerable  extent,  the  result  of  the 
stirring  character  of  the  hymns.  "  The  Methodist 
hymn  music  early  took  a  high  form  of  emotional 
expression.  It  could  not  be  otherwise  with  a  com- 
munity continually  stirred  by  religious  excitement. 
It  was  also  a  necessity  of  the  rapturous  poetry  of 
Charles  Wesley ;  for,  with  it,  a  tame  or  common- 
place music  would  be  absurd.  Handel  found  in 
the  Methodist  hymns  a  poetry  worthy  of  his  own 
grand  genius,  and  he  set  to  music  those  beginning ; 

"  '  Sinners,  obey  the  gospel  word  I ' 
'  0  Love  Divine,  how  sweet  thou  art  I ' 

"  '  Rejoice  I  the  Lord  is  King.'  " 

In  the  early  days  of  Methodism,  Mr.  John  "Wes- 
ley was  delighted  to  find  that  the  constant  and 
persevering  efforts  which  had  been  put  forth  in 
the  department  of  psalmody  had  not  been  in  vain. 
Speaking  of  the  singing  of  the  Wesleyans,  he 
says  •  "  Their  solemn  addresses  to  God  are  not 


104 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


interrupted  either  by  the  formal  drawl  of  a  parish 
clerk,  the  screaming  of  hoys,  who  bawl  out  what 
they  neither  feel  nor  understand,  or  the  unreason- 
able and  unmeaning  im]3ertinence  of  a  voluntary 
on  the  organ.  When  it  is  seasonable  to  sing  praise 
to  God,  they  do  it  with  the  spirit  and  with  the  un- 
derstanding also  ;  not  in  the  miserable,  scandalous 
doggerel  of  Hopkins  and  Sternhold,  but  in  psalms 
and  hymns  which  are  both  sense  and  poetry,  such 
as  would  sooner  provoke  a  critic  to  turn  Christian 
than  a  Christian  to  turn  critic.  What  they  sing 
is,  therefore,  a  proper  continuation  of  the  spiritual 
and  reasonable  service,  being  selected  for  that 
end,  not  by  a  poor,  humdrum  wretch  who  can 
scarcely  read  what  he  drones  out  with  such  an  air 
of  importance,  but  by  one  who  knows  what  he  is 
about;  not  by  a  handful  of  wild,  unawakened 
striplings,  but  by  a  whole  serious  congregation ; 
and  these  not  lolling  at  ease,  or  in  the  posture  of 
sitting,  drawling  out  one  word  after  another,  but 
all  standing  before  God  and  praising  him  lustily 
and  with  a  good  courage." 

In  the  matter  of  praise,  as  well  as  in  other  things, 
theWesleys  immortalized  themselves  as  reformers. 
As  one  of  its  earliest  and  noblest  achievements, 
Methodism  furnished  Great  Britain  with  the  best 
model  of  devotional  singing  known  to  the  world 
since  the  time  of  the  primitive  Christians.  It  very 
far  surpassed  the  singing  of  the  Protestant 
Churches  in  the  days  of  the  Reformation,  in  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


105 


excellence  of  the  hymns,  the  suitableness  of  the 
tunes,  and  in  the  spirituality  which  pervaded  the 
music. 

At  this  point  we  may  appropriately  consider 
the  Rules  of  the  Methodist  Churches  in  regard  to 
congregational  singing.  We  take  the  following 
question  and  answers  from  the  Discipline : 

"  Question— Ko-^  shall  we  guard  against  for- 
mality in  singing  ? 

"  Answer  1.  By  choosing  such  hymns  as  are 
proper  for  the  occasion. 

"  2.  By  not  singing  too  much  at  once ;  seldom 
more  than  five  or  six  verses. 

"  3.  By  suiting  the  tune  to  the  words. 

"  4.  By  often  stopping  short  when  the  words  are 
given  out  and  asking  the  people,  ^  Now !  do  you 
know  what  you  said  last  ?  Did  you  speak  no  more 
than  you  felt  ? ' 

"  5.  In  all  our  congregations,  let  the  people  learn 
to  sing,  and  use  our  own  hymn  and  tune-books. 

"  6.  Exhort  every  person  in  the  congregation  to 
sing  ;  not  one  in  ten  only." 

It  is  a  little  remarkable  that  all  these  directions 
were  originally  given  by  Mr.  Wesley  to  his  Socie- 
ties, which  constituted  the  germ  of  the  Methodist 
Churches.  Having  been  thoroughly  tried  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  they  were  adopted  by 
the  Conference  which  organized  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  America,  at  its  session  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore,  in  the  year  1784,  and  they  have 


106  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

received  General  Conference  approval  from  tliat 
time  to  tlie  present.  They  come  down  to  ns  as 
venerable  monuments  of  tlie  wisdom,  piety  and 
zeal  of  the  founder  of  Methodism,  and,  on  account 
of  their  antiquity  and  intrinsic  excellence,  they 
deserve  to  be  carefully  considered  and  faithfully 
practiced. 

Some  of  Mr.  Wesley's  rules  have,  at  different 
times,  been  left  out  of  the  Discipline,  and  among 
them  the  one  which  directed  the  preachers  to 
"  preach  frequently  on  the  head  "  of  congregational 
singing.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  recommenda- 
tion so  eminently  judicious  should  have  disap- 
peared from  the  Discipline.  This  fact,  however, 
need  not  prevent  us  from  acting  in  accordance 
with  the  advice  given.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind 
that  John  Wesley  directs  all  his  contemporaries 
and  successors  in  the  ministry  io 'preach  frequently 
on  the  subject  of  singing. 

It  would  be  difficult  for  the  minister  to  find  a 
more  important  theme,  and  one  fuller  of  inspira- 
tion. If  he  turns  to  the  Atonement  itself,  he  will 
find  that  the  subject  of  praise  is  closely  connected 
with  it.  Can  anything  be  of  greater  interest  and 
concern  to  man  than  the  worship  of  God  ?  And  is 
not  singing  recognized  both  in  the  Scriptures  and 
in  the  Discipline  as  an  integral  part  of  Divine 
worship  ? 

It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  prayer  is  a  common 
theme  of  pulpit  discourse.    On  that  subject  the 


THE  servicp:  of  song. 


107 


people  are  instruct(^d,  admonished,  encouraged. 
On  prayer,  books,  tracts  and  sermons  have  been 
written  and  widely  circulated.  It  is  the  prominent 
topic  for  exhortation  in  the  prayer- meeting  from 
week  to  week.  The  subject  of  prayer,  both  as  a 
privilege  and  a  duty,  has,  from  time  immemorial, 
been  considered  of  prime  importance,  both  by  the 
ministry  and  the  laity. 

In  regard  to  praise,  the  interest  manifested  by 
preachers  and  people  has  by  no  means  been  so 
intense  and  uniform.  Many  of  our  ministers  never 
preached  a  sermon  on  that  subject.  Many  of  the 
members  and  friends  of  the  Church  never  heard 
or  read  a  sermon  on  singing.  Of  course,  the  gen- 
eral subject  of  gratitude  and  thanksgiving  has  not 
been  ignored ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  praise  as  a 
legitimate  department  of  Divine  worship  has  not 
generally  been  made  prominent  in  the  pulpit ;  and 
to  this  cause,  more  than  to  any  other,  perhaps,  the 
remissness  of  the  people  may  be  traced. 

It  is  a  startling  fact  that  not  one-half  of  the 
members  of  the  Protestant  Churches  in  America 
unite  in  the  "  service  of  song  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord."  In  some  Churches,  the  singing  is  confined 
almost  exclusively  to  the  few  who  occupy  the 
gallery  or  organ  loft  in  the  capacity  of  choristers. 
In  other  churches,  a  few  of  those  who  sit  near  the 
pulpit  sing,  aided  by  a  voice  here  and  there  through 
the  congregation.  It  is  a  fact,  which  no  one  will 
dispute,  that  there  are  now  in  the  different  Churches 


108 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOITa. 


thousands  of  members  of  both  sexes  who  have 
naturally  good  voices,  and  who  seldom  or  never 
attempt  to  unite  with  the  people  in  praising  God 
in  His  sanctuary.  Are  we  not  loudly  called  upon 
to  do  what  we  can  to  bring  about  a  reformation  ? 
And  can  the  laity  be  expected  to  go  in  advance  of 
the  ministry  in  this  good  work  ?  If  it  is  not  the 
province  of  the  pulpit  to  set  forth  the  Scriptural 
rule  on  this  subject,  and  to  urge  all  the  people  to 
comply  with  it,  then  it  will  be  difficult  to  deter- 
mine the  proper  sphere  of  the  preacher.  Surely 
one  sermon  in  each  congregation  every  year  on 
this  interesting  theme  would  be  eminently  proper. 
But  we  ought  not  to  satisfy  ourselves  until  we 
have  carried  our  point.  Sermon  must  succeed 
sermon  ;  private  conversations  must  give  force  to 
public  exhortations,  until  the  whole  Church  is 
fully  awake  to  the  importance  of  the  subject.  Of 
course,  it  is  expected  that  the  laity  will  co-operate 
with  the  ministry  in  promoting  this  much  needed 
reform ;  but  the  "  heralds  of  the  Cross  "  must  first 
summon  the  people  to  the  rescue. 

"All  the  counsel  of  God"  must  be  declared. 
Every  doctrine  of  the  Bible  must  be  explained ; 
every  duty  must  be  enforced.  How,  then,  can  the 
ministry  be  blameless  if  the  greater  portion  of  the 
membership  continue  to  neglect  an  integral  part 
of  Divine  worship  without  being  admonished  as 
to  their  delinquency,  and  without  being  encour- 
aged to  perform  a  duty  which  would  soon  become 
a  delight  ? 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


109 


CHAPTER  II. 
ALL  SHOULD  SING — {Continued.) 

The  Great  Power  of  Song  in  the  Reformation  —  Luther  —  Clement 
Marot  and  Theodore  Beza  —  Priests  Sung  Down  by  the  Peo- 
ple —  Papists  Imitate  the  Protestants  —  Reformation  in  England  — 
Influence  of  Ministers  —  All  should  Sing  —  Dr.  Olin  —  Bishops 
Coke  and  Asbury  on  Singing  —  George  Dougherty  in  Charleston, 
S.  C.  —  Felix  Neff —  What  Chrysostom  says  —  Augustin  —  Mel- 
vill  —  Luther  —  Cotton  Mather's  Remark  —  What  McCheyne 
says  —  Furber's  Remarks  to  Ministers — The  Orator — The  Ant  — 
The  Word  of  God  — His  Works. 

Since  tlie  days  of  tlie  Apostles  we  have  liad 
some  forcible  examples  of  ministerial  effort  in  the 
department  of  song,  both  before  and  after  the  suc- 
cessful efforts  of  the  Wesleys. 

The  devotion  of  Martin  Luther  to  sacred  song 
furnishes  a  fine  example  for  the  consideration  of 
,  all  ministers  of  the  gospel. 

He  says  :  "  jN'ext  to  theology,  it  is  to  music  that 
I  give  the  highest  place  and  the  greatest  honor." 

"  After  the  long  night  of  the  dark  ages,  the  light 
of  returning  day  in  Germany  was  ushered  in  with 
song.  Its  approach  had  been  heralded  by  song 
a  century  before  this,  in  Bohemia,  in  the  time  of 
J ohn  Huss  and  J erome ;  and  even  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  while  '  the  Morning  Star  of  the  Reform  a- 


\ 


110  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

tion'  was  still  visible,  praise  broke  tlie  silence  of 
the  waning  watcl^es  in  England. 

"  As  in  the  morning  of  the  long  days  in  summer, 
a  few  woodland  notes  may  be  heard  here  and  there 
in  the  groves  in  advance  of  the  general  chorus 
which  hails  the  day,  so  there  were  voices  before 
Luther,  both  in  England  and  on  the  Continent, 
which  anticipated  the  melodies  of  his  time.  But 
when  the  empire  of  the  night  was  fairly  broken, 
and  this  great  chorister  of  the  Reformation  arose, 
he  awoke  the  whole  forest  into  harmony. 

"  One  of  the  first  efforts  of  Luther,  in  fulfilment 
of  the  great  mission  of  his  life,  was  to  publish  a 
psalm-book.  Both  hymns  and  tunes  were  com- 
posed mainly  by  himself.  About  sixty  hymns 
were  written  by  him  at  a  time  when  the  history 
of  fifteen  centuries  could  not  furnish  more  than 
two  hundred  hymns  that  had  been  used  in  Chris- 
tian congregations.  In  this  great  undertaking  he 
had  a  twofold  object — first,  to  restore  to  the  peo- 
ple their  ancient  and  long-lost  New  Testament 
right  to  the  use  of  psalms  in  public  worship  in 
their  own  tongue  ;  and,  secondly,  by  the  graces  of 
verse  and  the  charms  of  melodj^,  to  lodge  the 
word  of  God  effectually  in  their  memory.  He  took 
care  to  embody  in  his  verse  the  great  foundation 
truths  of  the  Bible,  that,  being  sung  over  and  over 

by  the  people,  they  might  never  be  forgotten  

So  successful  was  he  in  this  endeavor  that  priestly 
influence  might  in  vain  have  attempted  to  check 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


Ill 


the  progress  of  tlie  Reformation  by  destroying  the 
Bible.  Its  doctrines  were  the  soul  of  his  songs, 
and  the  songs  were  embalmed  in  the  people's 
memory.'-  ^ 

About  this  time  Clement  Marot,  a  French  poet, 
assisted  by  Theodore  Beza,  gave  to  France  and 
Germany  a  collection  of  metrical  versions  from 
the  Hebrew  Psalter.  These,  with  the  productions 
of  Luther  and  others,  were  widely  circulated,  and 
produced  a  powerful  effect  in  favor  of  Protestant- 
ism. Luther  in  Germany,  and  Calvin  at  Geneva, 
were  determined  to  put  down  the  practice  of  anti- 
phonal  chanting,  and  to  introduce  congregational 
singing  in  its  stead. 

The  effect  of  this  new  movement  was  elec- 
tric :  "  The  Scriptures,  which  had  long  been 
shut  up  in  a  dead  language,  were  thus  released, 
in  part,  to  the  understanding  and  heart  of 
the  worshipers,  in  metrical  forms,  which,  however 
rude,  were  not  so  to  the  taste  of  the  age.  They 
were  welcomed  with  unbounded  enthusiasm.  That 
cardinal  principle  of  the  Reformation,  by  which 
responsibility  was  individualized,  was  thus  infused 
into  the  theory  and  practice  of  worship,  and  the 
heart  of  the  people  opened  to  receive  it  gratefully. 

"  France  and  Germany  were  instantly  infatuated 

with  a  love  of  Psalm-singing  The 

energetic  hymns  of  Geneva  exhilarated  the  con- 
vivial assemblies  of  the  Calvinists ;  were  commonly 

*  Rev.  D.  L,  Furber. 


112 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


heard  in  the  streets,  and  accompanied  the  lahors 

of  the  artificer  They  found  their  way 

to  the  cities  of  the  low  countries,  and  under  their 
inspiration,  many  of  the  weavers  and  woollen 
manufacturers  of  Flanders  left  their  looms  and 
entered  into  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  German, 
Dutch,  Bohemian,  and  Polish  versions  of  the 
Psalms,  in  metre,  and  both  French  and  German 
hymns,  were  soon  multiplied  to  an  almost  fabulous 
extent.  The  enthusiasm  of  Luther  in  the  work  is 
well  known ;  and  the  popularity  of  his  sixty-three 
hymns  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  spurious 
collections  were  hawked  about  the  cities  of  Ger- 
many under  his  name.  Hymns  in  the  vernacular 
dialects  became  a  power  in  the  Reformation  co- 
ordinate with  that  of  the  pulpit.  Upon  the  masses 
of  the  people  they  were  far  more  potent  than  any 
other  uninspired  productions  of  the  press.  At 
Augsburg,  in  1551,  three  or  four  thousand  singing 
at  a  time  was  but  a  trifle.  The  youth  of  the  day 
sang  them  in  the  place  of  ribald  songs  ;  mothers 
sang  them  beside  the  cradle;  journeymen  and 
servants  sang  them  at  their  labor,  and  marketmen 
in  the  streets,  and  husbandmen  in  the  fields.  At 
length  the  six  thousand  hymns  of  a  single  poet, 
Hans  Sach,  bore  witness  to  the  avidity  of  the  de- 
mand and  the  copiousness  of  the  supply."  ^* 

In  the  year  1529  a  Romish  priest  was  preaching 
at  Lubec,  and  as  he  was  concluding,  two  boys 

*  Hymns  and  Choirs. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


113 


commenced  singing  one  of  Luther's  liymns,  when 
the  whole  assembly  joined  as  with  one  voice ;  and 
if  at  any  time  any  one  of  the  priests  ventured  to 
inveigh  against  Luther's  doctrine,  the  congrega- 
tion would  answer  him,  and  drown  his  voice  by 
singing  one  of  Luther's  hymns. 

At  Heidelberg  the  Reformation  was  sung  into 
the  people's  hearts.  Fearing  the  Emperor,  the 
Elector  Frederick  did  not  suppress  the  saying  of 
mass  so  soon  as  the  people  desired ;  therefore,  on 
a  certain  occasion,  just  as  the  priest  was  about  to 
begin  the  service  at  the  high  altar,  a  solitary  voice 
led  off  in  the  singing  of  Sporatus'  famous  hymn, 
"  Est  ist  das  Heil  uns  kommen  her."  The  vast 
assembly  instantly  joined,  and,  the  Elector  taking 
the  hint,  mass  was  said  no  more. 

It  was  not  by  preachers  nor  by  religious  books 
and  tracts  that  the  Reformation  was  introduced 
into  the  city  of  Hanover,  but  by  the  hymns  of 
Luther,  which  the  people  delighted  to  sing. 

A  contemporary  of  Luther  says  :  "I  doubt  not 

that  the  one  little  hymn,  '  i^ow  rejoice.  Christians, 

all,'  (the  first  one  that  Luther  published,)  has 

brought  many  hundred  Christians  to  the  faith. 

 The  noble,  sweet  language  of  that  one 

little  song  has  won  their  hearts,  so  that  they  could 

not  resist  the  truth ;  and,  in  my  opinion,  the 

spiritual  songs  have  contributed  not  a  little  to  the 

spread  of  the  gospel." 

The  Papists  saw,  with  surprise  and  dismay,  the 
8 


114 


THE   SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


success  which  crowned  these  noble  efforts  of  the 
Reformers,  and  their  hrst  impulse  was  to  fight 
with  the  same  weapons.  These  hymns,  however, 
although  a  little  altered  to  suit  Komish  views,  still 
contained  seeds  of  truth  which  promised  to  germi- 
nate and  produce  spiritual  fruit.  Hence,  about 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  all  Papists 
were  prohibited  from  singing  them,  and  from  that 
time  the  name,  "  psalmodist,"  or  "  psalm-singer," 
was  applied  to  the  Protestants,  in  derision.  It  be- 
came synonymous  with  Reformer,  Huguenot,  Cal- 
vinist.  Heretic. 

Congregational  singing  was,  as  has  been  inti- 
mated, a  most  potent  instrumentality  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Reformation  in  England.  About 
the  time  the  good  leaven  began  to  work  in  Great 
Britain,  six  thousand  persons  of  all  ages  might 
have  been  heard  singing  the  new  songs  at  St. 
Paul's  Cross  in  London,  and  this,  it  is  said,  was 
"  sadly  annoying  to  the  mass-priests  and  the 
devil." 

The  following  is  the  language  of  George  Wither, 
who,  in  1623,  published  a  volume  of  "  Hymns  and 
Songs  of  the  Church,"  for  which  he  obtained  a 
royal  patent : 

"  The  Divell  is  not  ignorant  of  the  power  of 
these  divine  Cliarmes,  that  there  lurks  in  Poesy 
an  enchanting  sweetness  that  steals  into  the  hearts 
of  men  before  they  be  aware ;  and  that  (the  subject 
being  Divine)  it  can  infuse  a  kind  of  heavenly 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


115 


Enthusiasm^  sucli  deliglit  into  the  soule,  and  beget 
so  ardent  an  affection  unto  the  purity  of  God's 
Word,  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  the  most  power- 
ful Exorcisms  to  conjure  out  of  them  the  love  of 
such  delicacies,  but  they  will  be  unto  them  (as 
David  saith)  siceeter  than  honey  or  the  honey- 
comibe.  And  this  secret  working  which  verse  hath 
is  excellently  expressed  by  our  drad  Sovereigne 
that  now  is  (James  I.)  in  a  Poem  of  his  long  since 
penned : 

"  'For  verse's  power  is  sike,  it  softly  glides 
Through  secret  pores,  and  in  the  senses  hides, 
And  makes  men  have  that  gude  in  them  imprinted, 
Which  by  the  learned  work  is  represented.' 

"  By  reason  of  this  power,  our  adversaries  fear 
the  operation  of  the  Divine  Word  expressed  in 
numbers ;  and  that  hath  made  them  so  bitter 
against  our  versified  Psalms  ;  yea  (as  I  have  heard 
say),  they  term  the  singing  of  them  in  our  vulgar 
tongues,  the  Witch  of  Heresy.'^'' 

The  power  of  ministers  to  effect  a  salutary 
change  in  the  style  and  spirit  of  Church  singing 
has  been  twice  illustrated  in  the  history  of  the 
American  Churches.  About  the  year  1720,  the 
degeneracy  was  so  great  that  but  few  congrega- 
tions could  sing  more  than  three  or  four  tunes, 
and  these  were  sung  so  badly  as  to  be  intolerable 
to  those  who  had  any  degree  of  musical  culture. 
The  wisest  and  best  ministers  exerted  them- 
selves to  effect  a  reformation.    Edwards,  Symes 


116 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


of  Bradford,  Mather,  Wise,  Stoddard,  Dwiglit, 
Thatcher,  Walter,  Prince,  Woodstock,  and  others, 
took  the  lead  in  this  matter.  They  wrote  and 
preached  sermons  on  the  subject,  and  associations 
of  ministers  were  formed  to  farther  the  object  in 
view,  by  preparing  and  reading  essays,  and  by 
other  means.  In  the  year  1720,  Mr.  Walter  pub- 
lished his  singing-book.  The  preface  to  it  was 
signed  by  fourteen  distinguished  men,  most  of 
them  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  among  them 
two  who  had  been  college  presidents.  This  pre- 
face called  upon  all  "to  accomplish  themselves 
with  skill  to  sing  the  songs  of  the  Lord." 

Stern  resistance  was  offered  to  these  efforts  for 
reform.  Singing  by  note,  or  "regular  singing," 
as  it  was  called,  was  popish — "  the  old  way  was 
good  enough."  "  The  singing  of  two  or  three  tunes 
at  the  same  time  by  different  portions  of  the  con- 
gregation, either  ignorantl}^  or  intentionally ;  or, 
what  was  no  uncommon  thing,  the  singing  of  some 
one  tune,  professedly,  in  almost  as  many  different 
ways  as  there  were  voices,  according  to  each  one's 
caprice  or  fancy  for  embellishment,  so  that  it 
sounded  '  like  five  hundred  different  tunes  roared 
out  at  the  same  time,'  did  not  offend  the  blunted 
musical  sensibilities  of  the  age."  But  at  length 
the  reform  was  accomplished,  and  after  ten  years 
or  more  of  intense  excitement  in  the  Churches, 

*  See  Gould's  History  of  Church  Music  in  America. 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SOKG. 


117 


there  was  "  a  great  calm,"  and  mucli  spiritual 
prosperity. 

A  second  period  of  great  degeneracy  in  Church 
music  in  America  occurred  about  the  "beginning 
of  the  present  century.  It  was  not  the  result  of 
the  total  neglect  of  musical  education,  "but  was 
occasioned  by  the  introduction  of  the  "  coarse, 
noisy  tunes  "  of  Billings. 

William  Billings  was  one  of  the  first  composers 
of  music  in  America,  if  not  the  very  first.  He 
was  born  in  New  England,  of  humble  parentage  ; 
occupation,  a  tanner ;  "  deformed  in  person ;  blind 
in  one  eye ;  one  leg  shorter  than  the  other ;  one 
arm  somewhat  withered ;  with  a  mind  as  eccentric 
as  his  person  was  deformed."  He  died  in  the  year 
1800.  He  had  genius  and  energy,  but  was  almost 
totally  destitute  of  education.  Although  his  crude 
compositions  did  much  damage  to  the  cause  of 
congregational  singing,  yet  such  was  his  zeal  and 
enthusiasm  that  many  were  aroused  from  their 
lethargy  to  consider  the  importance  of  music ;  and 
in  this  way,  doubtless,  much  good  Avas  done. 

After  having  been  continued  in  use  for  about 
thirty  years,  the  tunes  of  Billings  were  driven  from 
the  Churches,  mainly  through  the  influence  of  min- 
isters of  the  gospel.  Chief  among  these  were 
Drs.  Worcester,  Prince,  and  Pierce,  of  Brookline, 
and  Dr.  Dana,  of  Newburyport.  The  latter,  in  a 
sermon  preached  at  Boxford,  in  the  year  1803, 
said :   "  Our  country  has  been  for  years  overflow- 


118 


TnE  SERVICE  OF  SOIs^G. 


ing  with  productions,  not  destitute  of  spriglitliness, 
perhaps,  but  composed  on  no  plan,  conformed  to  no 
principles,  and  communicating  no  distinct  or  abid- 
ing impression  —  fugitive,  unsubstantial  things, 
which  fill  the  ear  and  starve  the  mind." 

Dr.  Worcester  said :  "  The  influence  of  psalm- 
ody in  respect  to  religion  is  vastly  important. 
Genuine  psalmody  tends  to  promote  genuine 
religion;  spurious  psalmody  tends  to  promote 

spurious  religion  How  different  in 

all  respects  from  what  it  ought  to  be  is  a  great 
part  of  the  music  in  our  Churches !  It  is  low,  it 
is  trivial,  it  is  unmeaning ;  or,  if  it  has  any  mean- 
ing at  all,  it  is  adapted  to  sentiments  and  emotions 
altogether  different  from  those  of  pure  and  elevated 

devotion  It  is  a  mere  rhapsody  of 

sounds,  without  subject,  without  skill,  without  sen- 
timent, and  without  sense." 

The  reaction  was  sudden  and  violent,  and  led  to 
the  adoption  of  tunes  so  stiff,  slow,  and  dull  that 
the  spirit  and  life  of  singing  could  scarcely  co- 
exist with  them.  For  the  last  half  century,  how- 
ever, there  has  been  a  gradual  improvement  in 
this  respect,  which,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  be  con- 
summated by  the  present  generation. 

We  have  taken  this  little  detour  through  Ger- 
many, France,  and  England,  and  w^e  have  called 
attention  to  the  early  and  later  history  of  music 
in  some  of  the  Churches  west  of  the  Atlantic,  to 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


119 


sliow  tliat  all  should  unite  zealously  and  under- 
standingly  in  singing  the  praises  of  God,  and  that 
where  there  is  a  failure  to  do  this,  there  is  gener- 
ally power  enough  in  the  pulpit,  if  used  with 
energy  and  prudence,  to  correct  the  evil. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Discipline, 
as  already  quoted,  makes  it  the  duty  of  the 
ministers  to  "  exhort  every  person  in  the  con- 
gregation to  sing ;  not  one  in  ten  only."  This, 
as  we  have  seen,  is  one  of  the  original  Wes- 
leyan  rules,  adopted  by  the  American  General 
Conference  of  1784,  and  still  a  constituent  part  of 
the  Discipline.  Its  history  is  suggestive.  From 
the  fact  that  it  was  inserted  at  so  early  a  day,  we 
may  infer  that,  although  the  original  Methodist 
singing  was  such  as  met  the  approval  of  even  Mr. 
Wesley  himself,  yet  the  partial  neglect  of  this 
part  of  Divine  worship  was  soon  observed  in  many 
places,  and  hence  the  injunction  to  the  preachers 
to  stir  up  the  people.  The  remissness  in  question 
still  prevails  to  a  very  great  extent,  and  the 
preachers  are  still  called  upon  to  take  the  matter 
in  hand. 

It  will  be  observed  that  only  exhortation  on  the 
subject  is  now  required.  It  is  taken  for  granted 
that  the  doctrine  in  regard  to  singing  is  under- 
stood and  admitted,  and  that  it  is  only  necessary  to 
urge  the  people  to  practice  what  they  know.  This 
may  be  the  case  in  some  places,  with  some  persons ; 
but  we  apprehend  that  the  masses  need  instruction 


120 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG-. 


in  regard  to  devotional  singing  as  much  as 
on  any  otlier  subject.  They  certainly  have  not 
had  extra  facilities  for  obtaining  knowledge  in 
this  direction.  We  are,  therefore,  disposed  to 
give  a  liberal  construction  to  the  word  "exhort,'^ 
as  it  is  found  in  the  rule.  It  is  said  that  John  the 
Baptist,  on  a  certain  occasion,  "  preached  many 
things  in  his  exhortation."  So,  the  preacher  who 
observes  this  great  point  in  the  Discipline,  and 
exhorts  all  the  people  to  sing,  repeatedly,  earn- 
estly, affectionately,  will  find  that  the  best  way 
to  enforce  the  exhortation  will  be  to  exhibit  the 
teachings  of  the  Scriptures  on  the  subject,  ex- 
plaining the  nature  of  the  duty  to  be  performed, 
the  manner  and  spirit  in  which  it  should  be  at- 
tended to,  the  authority  by  which  it  is  enjoined, 
and  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  its  observance. 

The  preacher  is  directed  to  exhort  etjer^/per- 
son  in  the  congregation  to  sing."  Of  course,  the 
believer  should  unite  in  rendering  homage  and 
praise  to  his  great  Creator  and  Benefactor. 

How  can  he  whose  heart  burns  with  love  to  God 
and  man  remain  silent  when  those  around  him 
lift  up  their  voices  in  the  worship  of  the  great 
I  Am  ?  As  well  might  an  angel  stand  mute  before 
the  throne  when  all  the  rest  of  the  heavenly  host 
are  vying  with  each  other  in  the  loftiest  songs  of 
praise. 

The  penitent  should  sing.  He  should  sing 
of  his  guilt,  condemnation,  and   sorrow.  He 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOI^G. 


121 


should  sing  of  Bethleliem,  Olivet,  and  Calvary. 
And  while  he  dwells  upon  the  incarnation,  the 
teachings  and  miracles,  the  unutterable  love,  the 
unparalleled  sufferings,  the  vicarious  death,  the 
triumphant  resurrection,  and  the  ceaseless  inter- 
cessions of  the  Son  of  God,  his  sins  may  be  par- 
doned, and  his  mourning  be  turned  into  joy. 

The  unconverted,  whether  penitent  or  not,  should 
be  encouraged  to  uni  te  with  the  congregation  in 
singing.  Stephen  Olin  led  in  the  morning  and 
evening  prayers  at  Tabernacle  Academy,  in  South 
Carolina,  and  by  this  means  was  convinced  of  sin ; 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  an  effect  equally  salu- 
tary might  not  be  produced  upon  other  impenitent 
persons  through  the  medium  of  song.  Let  no  one 
be  silent  when  the  name  of  the  Most  High  is  cele- 
brated; but  let  ''every  person"  in  the  congrega- 
tion— saint  or  sinner — raise  his  voice  in  praise. 

"  The  singing  of  psalms,  hymns,  and  spirit- 
ual songs  in  the  congregation  has  been  allowed 
by  all  the  Churches  of  God  in  all  ages  (one  modern 
society  excepted)  to  be  a  part  of  Divine  worship, 
and,  from  its  xery  nature^  it  evidently  belongs  to 
the  whole  congregation.  It  would  be  unseemly 
for  the  minister  alone  to  sing :  but  if  it  be  the  duty 
of  one  member  of  the  congregation,  it  must  be  the 
duty  of  all  who  have  voices  for  singing ;  and  there 
are  very  few  who  may  not  join  in  the  air,  as  it  is 
called,  all  the  defects  of  their  voices  being  lost  in 
the  general  sound.   Few  things  can  be  more  pleas- 


122 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


ing  to  tlie  Lord  than  a  congregation  witli  one  heart 
and  one  voice  praising  His  holy  name.  It  is,  in- 
deed, to  be  feared  that  there  is  seldom  a  large 
congregation  where  every  individual  is  sincere. 
However,  all  who  do  in  sincerity  desire  a  blessing, 
should  strive  to  join  in  the  general  chorus — we 
mean  in  every  part  of  the  hymn.  If  one  part  of 
it  be  above  the  experience  of  the  singer,  he  should 
adjoin  a  silent  prayer,  that  the  Lord  may  give 
him  the  grace  he  needs ;  for  the  Lord  listens  to 
hear  what  the  heart  speaks,  and  takes  all  as  noth- 
ing if  the  heart  be  silent.  Again,  when  his  ex- 
perience rises  above  the  hymn,  his  secret  prayer 
should  be  in  behalf  of  that  part  of  the  congrega- 
tion it  suits  ;  but,  in  the  proper  hymns  of  praise, 
he  may  throw  off  all  reserve,  for  we  are  all  in- 
finitely indebted  to  our  good  God."  ^ 

In  the  various  departments  of  ministerial  labor, 
much  may  be  done  by  precept ;  more  by  example. 
It  is  important  that  the  minister  preach  and  exhort 
on  the  subject  of  singing;  but,  to  give  point  and 
force  to  his  teachings  and  entreaties,  he  must,  if 
possible,  himself  sing,  and  so  lead  the  flock  into 
this  green  pasture. 

By  the  memorable  General  Conference  of  1784, 
the  following  question  and  answer  were  inserted 
in  the  Discipline : 

"  Question.  How  shall  we  reform  our  singing  ? 

*  Bishops  Coke  and  Asbury,  in  their  Notes  appended  to  the  Disciphne 
of  1796. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


123 


Answer.  Let  all  our  preachers  wlio  have  any 
knowledge  in  the  notes  improve  it  by  learning  to 
sing  true  themselves,  and  keeping  close  to  Mr. 
Wesley's  tunes  and  hymns." 

Many  of  our  brethren  in  the  ministry  have 
passed  the  age  at  which  scientific  knowledge  may 
be  acquired  with  ease ;  but  the  majority  of  them, 
by  a  little  application  for  a  year  or  two,  might 
obtain  a  good  and  valuable  knowledge  of  the 
principles  and  practice  of  vocal  music.  Many  of 
them  already  have  some  "  knowledge  in  the  notes." 
A  little  attention  to  the  subject  on  their  part  would 
revive  their  taste  for  good  singing,  and  would 
enable  them  to  lead  the  people  correctly  and  suc- 
cessfully in  this  department  of  worship.  There  is 
here  opened  to  the  minister  a  wide  and  inviting 
field  of  usefulness ;  let  it  be  entered  and  assidu- 
ously cultivated.  There  has  been  committed  to 
"US  by  the  Master  a  very  useful  talent ;  let  it  not 
be  hidden  in  the  earth.  It  is  expected  that  the 
preachers  will  be  able  to  sing ;  that  they  will  be 
able  to  sing  well,  insomuch  that  they  may  lead 
the  congregation  whenever  it  may  be  necessary ; 
and  only  those  who  can  not  sing  are  excused. 

AYe  would  very  humbly,  but  very  earnestly,  urge 
all  ministers  of  the  gospel  to  a  serious  considera- 
tion of  the  great  power  for  good  which  resides  in 
holy  song.  If  the  hearts  of  the  people  are  hard, 
melt  them  by  sacred  melody,  and  you  will  have 
access  to  them. 


124 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


On  a  certain  occasion  the  Rev.  Geo.  Dougherty, 
of  precious  memory,  entered  a  church  in  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  to  fill  an  appointment  for  preaching. 
Many  of  the  people  were  greatly  prejudiced 
against  him,  and  his  personal  appearance  was 
by  no  means  prepossessing;  but  after  engaging 
silently  in  prayer  for  a  short  time,  he  arose  from 
his  knees  and  commenced  singing.  As  he  pro- 
ceeded, the  attention  of  the  congregation  was 
arrested  by  the  beautiful  tune  and  appropriate 
wwds,  sung  in  a  smooth,  clear  voice ;  and  before 
the  conclusion  of  the  song,  many  were  affected  to 
tears,  opposition  gave  way,  and  the  word  was 
heard  with  gladness. 

If  you  would  have  thoughts  of  business  and 
pleasure  banished  from  the  minds  of  your  auditors, 
and  if  you  would  secure  them  against  lassitude 
and  drowsiness,  induce  them  all  to  unite  heartily 
in  the  singing.  There  is  nothing  so  well  calcu- 
lated to  raise  the  soul  above  this  sordid  world  and 
to  plume  it  for  its  homeward  flight  as  a  spiritual 
participation  in  the  service  of  praise.  A  congre- 
gation whose  hearts  and  voices  have  thus  been 
engaged,  will  listen  with  eager  interest  to  him 
who,  in  faith,  proclaims  the  everlasting  gospel. 

Singing  was  regarded  as  a  pow^erful  instrumen- 
tality for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel,  by  Felix 
Neff",  in  his  labors  in  the  south-east  of  France 
among  the  high  Alps ;  and  by  Eliot,  in  his  labors 
in  New  England  among  the  native  tribes. 


THE  SEKYICE  OF  SONG. 


125 


Clirysostom,  speaking  of  the  power  of  song  over 
Christian  hearts,  says :  "  Nothing  so  much  as 
this  lifteth  up  and,  as  it  were,  wingeth  the  soul ;  so 
freeth  it  from  earth  and  looseth  it  from  the  chains 
of  the  body ;  so  leadeth  it  unto  wisdom  and  a  con- 
tempt of  all  earthly  things." 

Augustin,  discoursing  on  the  power  of  music  on 
the  occasion  of  his  baptism,  says :  "  Oh !  how 
freely  was  I  made  to  weep  by  these  hymns  and 
spiritual  songs,  transported  by  the  voices  of  the 
congregation  sweetly  singing !  The  melody  of 
their  voices  filled  my  ear,  and  Divine  truth  was 
poured  into  my  heart.  Then  burned  the  sacred 
flame  of  devotion  in  my  soul,  and  gushing  tears 
flowed  from  my  eyes,  as  well  they  might." 

Melvill  says  :  "  When  many  voices  join  heartily 
in  praise,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  remain  indifferent. 
Every  one  feels  this.  In  a  congregation  where 
few  attempt  to  sing,  how  difficult  it  is  to  magnify 
the  Lord!  But  who  can  resist  the  rush  of  many 
voices  ?  Whose  bosom  does  not  swell  as  old  and 
young,  rich  and  poor  mingle  their  tones  of  adora- 
tion and  thankfulness  ? 

"  You  may  tell  me  there  is  not  necessarily  any 
religion  in  all  this  emotion.  I  know  that ;  and  I 
would  not  have  you  mistake  emotion  for  religion. 
But  we  are  creatures  so  constituted  as  to  be  acted 
on  through  our  senses  and  feelings ;  and  while 
emotion  is  not  religion,  it  will  often  be  a  great  step 
toward  it.    The  man  who  has  imbibed,  so  to  speak, 


126 


tup:  seFwVice  of  so:n-g. 


the  spirit  of  prayer  and  of  praise  from  the  sur- 
rounding assembly,  is  far  more  likely  to  give  an 
attentive  ear  to  the  preaclied  word,  and  to  receive 
from  it  a  lasting  impression,  than  another  whose 
natural  coldness  has  been  increased  by  that  of 
the  mass  in  which  he  found  himself  placed." 

Good  congregational  singing  is  as  necessary  for 
the  preacher  as  it  is  for  the  people.  The  languid 
drawling  of  a  few  undevout  singers  is  not  unfie- 
quently  so  completely  soporific  in  its  effect  upon 
the  minister  as  to  unfit  him  for  the  delivery  of 
his  message  of  glad  tidings ;  but  the  inspiring 
strains  of  many  voices,  all  blending  in  harmony 
and  bespeaking  the  gratitude  and  joy  of  believers, 
charm  the  preacher's  ear,  quicken  his  intellectual 
faculties,  and  warm  his  heart.  Animated  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  uplifted  by  the  song,  he  is  ad- 
mirably prepared  for  the  great  work. 

Music,"  says  Martin  Luther,  "  has  ever  been 
my  delight.  It  has  always  excited  me  so  as  to 
give  me  a  greater  desire  to  preach." 

It  has  been  well  said  that  God  answers  praise 
as  well  as  prayer.  This  was  forcibly  illustrated  at 
the  dedication  of  the  temple  built  by  Solomon. 
It  was  not  during  the  prayer,  although  it  may 
have  been  to  some  extent  in  answer  to  it,  that  the 
Divine  presence  was  manifested;  but  "it  came  to 
pass  when  the  priests  were  come  out  of  the  holy 
place,  ...  as  the  trumpeters  and  singers  were 
as  one,  to  make  one  sound  to  be  heard  in  praising 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


127 


and  thanking  the  Lord,  saying,  For  He  is  good ; 
for  His  mercy  endureth  forever:  that  then  the 
house  was  filled  with  a  cloud,  even  the  house  of 
the  Lord  ;  so  that  the  priests  could  not  stand  to 
minister  by  reason  of  the  cloud  ;  for  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  filled  the  house  of  God." 

Doubtless,  one  reason  why  God  was  pleased  to 
honor  this  song  with  an  answer  so  direct  and  won- 
derful, w^as  the  unanimity  with  which  it  was  sung 
and  performed.  The  individuals  composing  that 
vast  assembly  were  all,  it  would  seem,  devotion- 
ally  engaged.  "  The  trumpeters  and  singers  were 
as  one^  to  make  one  sounds  to  be  heard  in  praising 
and  thanking  the  Lord." 

A  distinguished  minister  in  England  has  said 
that  "congregational  singing  and  united  prayer 
always  accompany  a  revival." 

Cotton  Mather  said,  in  the  year  1721 :  "It  is 
remarkable  that,  when  the  kingdom  of  God  has 
been  making  any  new  appearance,  a  mighty  zeal 
for  the  singing  of  psalms  has  attended  it  and 
assisted  it." 

The  "heavenly-minded"  McCheyne  said:  "My 
dear  flock,  I  am  deeply  persuaded  that  there  will 
be  no  fall,  soul-filling,  heart-ravishing,  heart-satis- 
fying outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God  till  there  be 
more  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  the  Lord.  Learn, 
dearly  beloved,  to  praise  God  heartily  ;  to  sing 
with  all  your  heart  and  soul  in  the  family,  and  in 
the  congregation ;  then  am  I  persuaded  that  God 


128 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


will  give  His  Holy  Spirit  to  fill  the  house — to  fill 
every  heart  in  the  spiritual  temple."  ^ 

"  By  an  instinct  as  strong  as  it  is  infallible,  the 
Church  has  always  indicated  a  quickened  life  by 
a  larger  use  of  psalms  and  hymns."  f 

Have  you,  then,  under  your  pastoral  charge  a 
Church  that  is  "  twice  dead  ?"  Do  not  despond : 
there  is  power  in  preaching,  power  in  prayer, 
power  in  praise.  Let  the  law  thunder  its  anathe- 
mas :  let  the  promises  speak  in  accents  of  love : 
let  the  throne  of  grace  be  besieged  in  faith ;  and 
let  the  house  be  filled  with  the  voice  of  praise. 
If  the  lukewarmness  of  the  people  be  such  that 
they  have  no  heart  to  sing,  let  the  preacher,  by 
the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  arouse  them  from  their 
deadly  slumber.  Let  him  sing  to  a  spirited  tune 
the  words  following : 

Awake,  and  sing  the  song 

Of  Moses  and  the  Lamb; 
Tune  every  heart  and  every  tongue 

To  praise  the  Savior's  name. 

Sing  of  His  dying  love; 

Sing  of  His  rising  power; 
Sing  how  He  intercedes  above 

For  those  whose  sins  He  bore. 

**  His  faithfulness  proclaim, 
While  life  to  you  is  given; 
Join  hands  and  hearts  to  praise  His  name 
Till  we  all  meet  in  heaven." 

Let  both  the  minister  and  his  congregation 

*  Some  of  the  quotations  in  this  connection  are  from  "Hymns  and 
Choirs." 

tAUon. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


129 


adopt  the  emphatic  language  of  the  Psalmist:  "I 
will  praise  the  name  of  God  with  a  song,  and  will 
magnify  Him  with  thanksgiving.  This  also  shall 
please  the  Lord  better  than  an  ox  or  bullock  that 
hath  horns  and  hoofs." 

The  effect  of  a  little  self-examination  at  this 
point  may  be  salutary.  As  ministers,  have  we 
done  our  duty  in  the  department  of  song  ?  Have 
those  of  us  who  are  the  descendants  of  Wesley 
paid  sufficient  heed  to  our  own  rules  ?  Have  we, 
as  individuals,  properly  appreciated  this  means  of 
grace  ?  Have  we  experienced  in  the  use  of  it  that 
spiritual  benefit  which  it  is  so  admirably  fitted  to 
confer  ?  Have  we  done  what  v/e  could,  both  in  pri- 
vate and  in  public,  to  induce  all  to  unite  in  this 
delightful  part  of  Divine  w^orship?  Have  w^e 
striven  to  make  these  "low  grounds  of  sorrow" 
vocal  with  praise,  so  that  we  might  have  "  the 
days  of  heaven  upon  earth?"  Having  seen  "  the 
morning  spread  upon  the  mountains,"  have  we  an- 
ticipated the  joyful  day  when  the  far- streaming 
rays  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shall  illumine 
the  pathway  of  those  who  have  long  dwelt  in  the 
"  region  and  shadow  of  death  ?" 

"  Then  shall  the  voice  of  singing 

Flow  joyfully  along, 
And  hill  and  valley,  ringing 

With  one  triumphant  song, 
Proclaim  the  contest  ended. 

And  Him  who  once  was  slain, 
Again  to  earth  descended, 

In  righteousness  to  reign. 

9 


130 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


**  Then  from  the  craggy  mountains 

The  sacred  shout  shall  fly, 
And  shady  vales  and  fountains 

Shall  echo  the  reply : 
High  tower  and  lowly  dwelling 

Shall  send  the  chorus  round, 
The  hallelujah  swelling 

In  one  eternal  sound." 

The  Rev.  D.  L.  Furber  says:  "Let  ministers 
find,  in  the  precepts  of  the  New  Testament  upon 
the  subject  of  praise,  a  duty  and  a  privilege  for 
all  Christians ;  let  them  consider  how  much  this 
privilege  has  been  worth  to  the  Church  in  its  most 
flourishing  periods — what  a  help  to  devotion,  what 
a  means  of  grace,  what  a  source  of  spiritual  enjoy- 
ment it  might  now  be — and  they  may  address  an 
appeal  to  the  consciences  and  hearts  of  those  who 
love  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  which,  with  the 
blessing  of  God,  will  not  be  in  vain.  And  both 
ministers  and  Churches  will  be  surprised  to  dis- 
cover how  greatly  the  services  of  the  sanctuary 
are  enriched  by  the  change,  and  how  much  it  will 
contribute  to  the  religious  benefit  of  men." 

Let  the  Christian  minister  consider  the  account 
which  he  is  finally  to  render,  and  the  reward  which 
he  hopes  to  receive ;  and  let  him  adopt  the  Apos- 
tolic motto,  "  As  MUCH  AS  IN  ME  IS." 

But  if,  as  has  been  already  intimated,  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  minister  to  exhort  "  every  person"  to 
sing,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  people  to  heed  the  ex- 
hortation :  if  he  is  bound  to  set  a  good  example 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


131 


before  liis  people,  it  is  tlieir  duty  to  follow  tliat 
example.  If,  as  a  general  rule,  all  are  required 
to  sing,  then  it  follows  that,  with  but  few  excep- 
tions, all  have  the  ability  to  sing.  Duty  implies 
feasibility.  But,  alas  for  us!  in  the  American 
Churches,  the  dereliction  is  very  great :  the  people 
generally  do  not  sing.  Upon  all  those  who  are 
remiss  must  rest  the  responsibility  of  this  failure 
to  comply  with  the  Scriptural  rule. 

Of  course  impossibilities  are  not  required :  those 
who  can  not  sing  are  exempt ;  but  this  vague  idea 
of  inability  is  the  unfortunate  anodyne  which  has 
quieted  the  consciences  of  thousands.  It  may  be 
that  the  reader  of  these  pages  is  among  the  number. 
If  so,  we  would  say — "  Come  and  let  us  reason  to- 
gether." There  is,  in  almost  every  individual,  if 
not  in  all  without  exception,  a  native  fondness  for 
both  melody  and  harmony,  insomuch  that  we  are 
almost  ready  to  conclude  with  Shakespeare  that 
he  who  has  no  music  in  himself,  and  is  not  sus- 
ceptible of  its  charms,  "  is  fit  for  treasons,  strata- 
gems, and  spoils. "  This  innate  love  ot  music,  of 
which  you  are  conscious,  is  presumptive  evidence 
of  ability  to  acquire  and  practice  the  science. 

Again,  you  have  breath,  and  you  have  power  to 
give  it  an  impulse,  and  power  to  vocalize  it :  the 
organs  of  speech  and  the  organs  of  song  are 
identical,  and  the  fact  that  you  have  power  to 
modulate  your  voice,  is  conclusive  evidence  that 
you  are  not  laboring  under  any  prime  physical 


132 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOIfO-. 


defect.  Singing  is  but  little  more  than  the  pro- 
longation of  the  sounds  which  are  made  in  speak- 
ing. 

But  you  have  tried  and  failed,  and  your  friends 
tell  you  that  success  in  your  case  is  impossible. 
Still  it  may  be  that  you  have  never  addressed 
yourself  to  this  work  with  earnestness  and  perse- 
verance. In  this,  as  in  every  other  branch  of 
learning,  while  a  few  are  endowed  with  rare  gifts, 
and  are  able  to  pass  the  boundaries  of  mediocrity, 
and  even  to  achieve  distinction  with  comparatively 
little  exertion ;  yet,  with  respect  to  the  great  mass 
of  learners,  untiring  diligence  is  the  only  condi- 
tion of  success.  Nature  does  but  little  more  than 
give  us  the  ability  to  improve. 

How  long  did  it  take  you  to  acquire  the  power 
of  articulation  ?  How  long  did  it  take  you  to  learn 
to  read  correctly  and  impressively  ?  If  these  at- 
tainments were  secured  only  by  years  of  assidu- 
ous application,  shall  we  grow  weary  of  vocal 
music  and  abandon  the  science  because  a  few  short 
lessons,  and  a  few  feeble  attempts  to  practice  what 
was  imperfectly  learned,  have  failed  to  make  us 
accomplished  musicians  ? 

'No  science  can  be  mastered  in  a  day ;  no  art 
can  be  practiced  with  ease  by  a  novitiate.  "We 
have  heard  of  a  renowned  orator  of  antiquity  who 
declaimed  every  day  under  the  point  of  a  sus- 
pended sword  to  correct  an  ungraceful  movement 
of  the  body.  We  have  heard  of  one  who  delivered 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


133 


orations  on  the  sea  shore  with  pebbles  in  his  mouth 
that  he  might  remedy  a  defect  in  his  articulation. 
We  have  heard  of  the  ant  which,  for  sixty-nine 
times,  failed  to  ascend  the  wall  with  its  burden, 
but  succeeded  the  seventieth  time.  So  it  has  been, 
in  a  thousand  instances,  in  the  department  of  mu- 
sic :  those  who  at  one  time  almost  despaired,  have, 
by  dint  of  energetic  and  continuous  exertion,  taken 
position  among  the  best  singers  in  the  Church. 
Let  us  add  to  our  convictions  of  duty  as  Christians 
a  little  of  the  old  Roman  firmness  of  purpose: 
Nil  Mortalihus  Desperandum  est/^  Perseverando 
mnces.f  Rest  assured  that  there  is  only  one  in 
thousands  who  can  not  sing;  that  most  persons 
learn  to  sing  with  great  facility,  and  that  positive 
inability  to  sing  can  only  be  demonstrated  by 
months,  and  perhaps  we  might  say  years,  of 
fruitless  effort. 

Those  who  are  most  gifted  need  culture.  The 
voice  must  be  educated.  If  it  is  feeble,  exercise 
will  strengthen  it;  if  it  is  harsh,  practice  will 
make  it  smooth  and  melodious  ;  if  it  is  intractable, 
training  will  bring  it  into  subjection,  and  it  will 
go  "  whithersoever  the  governor  listeth ;"  if  it  is 
contracted  and  monotonous,  frequent  use  will  give 
it  compass  and  variety. 

The  ear  must  be  educated.  Why  is  it  that  the 
veteran  mariner  in  mid-ocean  has  around  liim  a 

*  Nothing  is  to  be  despaired  of  by  mortals, 
t  By  perseverance  we  conquer. 


134 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


wider  horizon  than  the  landsman  who  has  but 
lately  stepped  on  board?  Why  is  it  that  the  ear 
of  the  Indian  can  detect  sounds  where  all  is  silent 
to  him  v/ho  has  just  entered  the  wilderness  ?  Why 
does  the  voice  of  the  untutored  vocalist  grate  upon 
the  ear  of  the  experienced  preceptor  while  the 
singer  himself  is  charmed  with  the  sound  ?  The 
ready  reply  is,  that  the  voice,  the  ear,  the  eye,  and, 
in  fact,  all  our  faculties,  are  susceptible  of  tuition. 
We  have  all  heard  voices,  naturally  good  voices, 
which,  ever  and  anon,  failed  to  strike  the  proper 
key  with  precision ;  they  were  nearly  right,  but 
sufficiently  out  of  tune  to  seriously  mar  the  music. 
The  intonation  was  incorrect,  i.  e.,  the  voice  was 
not  formed  to  the  notes  of  the  scale  with  clearness 
and  precision.  The  ear  was  untaught  and  un- 
practiced. 

I^othing  in  music  is  so  important  as  time.  Time 
is  measured  by  a  slight  vibration  of  the  hand  or 
foot ;  or,  in  the  case  of  experienced  singers,  men- 
tally, without  any  physical  movement  whatever. 
But  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  keep  time  with  precision 
without  the  aid  of  clock,  watch,  or  dial ;  the  habit 
must  be  acquired  by  long  practice.  He  who  des- 
pairs of  success  because  it  can  not  be  achieved  in 
a  day  or  a  week,  is  like  an  apprentice  who  aban- 
dons his  trade  because  he  can  not,  at  once,  become 
a  master  workman. 

Dr.  Lowell  Mason,  the  veteran  teacher  and  pub- 
lisher of  vocal  music,  says :   "  As  it  is  with  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


135 


voice,  so  it  is  with  the  ear :  its  very  best  natural 
condition  is  imperfect,  and  needs  cultivation." 

The  Rev.  F.  Freeman  says:  "By  application 
and  perseverance,  many  who,  at  first,  were  scarcely 
able  to  appreciate  musical  sounds,  have,  at  length, 
by  the  aid  of  an  instructor,  arrived  at  very  com- 
mendable perfection  in  the  science  and  in  its 
performance.  It  would  be  very  difficult  to  find  a 
person  in  the  possession  of  the  natural  senses, 
who  has  not  a  general  fondness  for  musical  sounds : 
all  who  have  this  fondness — all  who  are  capable 
of  receiving  pleasure  from  musical  combinations, 
may,  doubtless,  improve  the  talent  that  is  in  them, 
and  learn  to  worship  God  in  songs  of  praise." 

A  writer  in  the  Cliristian  Spectator  says : 
"Among  the  Germans  and  Moravians,  all  without 
exception  are  taught  to  sing :  the  same  is  true  of 

the  Indians  of  every  tribe,  and  of  the 

children  of  our  infant  schools.  Having  visited 
many  of  these  schools  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  we  have  never  yet  found  a  child  w4io  was 
unable  to  sing  after  he  had  been  in  the  school  a 
proper  length  of  time.  We  would  say,  then,  let 
every  person,  young  and  old,  be  encouraged  to 
learn  to  sing ;  the  duty  w^ill  soon  become  pleasant, 
and  the  languid  fire  of  devotion  will  be  lighted  up 
to  a  flame  by  the  music  of  the  skies." 

In  view  of  what  has  just  been  said,  the  writer 
congratulates  his  non-musical  reader  upon  his 
ability  to  sing.    Of  the  multitudes  who  throng 


136 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


our  American  Churclies  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath, 
without  attempting  to  unite  in  the  service  of 
praise,  nearly  every  individual  may  perform  the 
duty,  and  enjoy  the  inestimable  privilege  in  ques- 
tion. He  whose  eye  is  now  tracing  these  lines 
may  rely  upon  it  that  the  chances  of  his  being 
able  to  sing  are,  against  him,  one ;  in  his  favor, 
ten  thousand. 

Is  it  so,  then,  that  we  have  hitherto  neglected, 
either  totally  or  partially,  a  prominent  Christian 
duty  ?  Has  our  failure  to  appreciate  this  means 
of  grace  made  us,  comparatively,  barren  and  un- 
fruitful ?  Has  our  example  exerted  a  deleterious 
influence  upon  others  ?  Is  it  reduced  almost  to  a 
certainty  that  our  pretexts  for  not  joining  with  the 
congregation  in  singing  have  been  delusive  ?  Do 
we  hope  ultimately  to  spend  a  happy  eternity  in 
the  noble  employment  of  praising  God  ?  By  our 
uniting  heartily  and  faithfully  in  this  part  of  Di- 
vine worship,  would  the  glory  of  Grod  be  promoted  ? 

Then  let  us  ask  ourselves,  what  meaneth  that 
Scripture  which  saith,  "  To  him  that  knoweth  to 
do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin?" 

In  closing  our  reply  to  the  question — Who 
should  sing? — we  would  listen  with  reverence  and 
docility  to  the  voice  of  God  as  uttered  in  His  word 
and  in  His  works.    It  is  said : 

^' Sing  unto  the  Lord,  all  the  earth." 

"  Ye  that  fear  the  Lord,  praise  Him ;  all  ye 
the  seed  of  Jacob,  glorify  Him." 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


137 


"  Let  tliem  exalt  Him  also  in  the  congregation 
of  tlie  people  and  praise  Him  in  the  assembly  of 
the  elders." 

"  Lift  up  your  hands  in  the  sanctuary,  and  bless 
the  Lord." 

"  0,  praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  nations :  praise  Him 
all  ye  people." 

"  Kings  of  the  earth,  and  all  people ;  princes, 
and  all  judges  of  the  earth :  both  young  men  and 
maidens ;  old  men  and  children :  let  them  praise 
the  name  of  the  Lord :  for  His  name  alone  is  ex- 
cellent ;  His  glory  is  above  the  earth  and  heavens." 

"  Let  the  people  praise  Thee,  0  God ;  let  all 
the  people  praise  Thee.  0  let  the  nations  be 
glad  and  sing  for  joy:  for  Thou  shalt  judge  the 
people  righteously,  and  govern  the  nations  upon 
earth.  Let  the  people  praise  Thee,  0  God ;  let  all 
the  people  praise  Thee.  Then  shall  the  earth 
yield  her  increase ;  and  God,  even  our  own  God, 
shall  bless  us.  God  shall  bless  us,  and  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth  shall  fear  Him." 

In  unison  with  these  sublime  teachings  is  the 
voice  of  God  in  nature :  "  All  Thy  works  shall 
praise  Thee,  0  Lord ;  and  Thy  saints  shall  bless 
Thee."  Why  has  God  so  made  all  things  that 
they  praise  Him  ?  We  are  constrained  to  believe 
that  He  has  surrounded  us  with  myriads  of 
preachers  and  exhorters,  both  celestial  and  terres- 


138 


THE  SERVICE  OP  SONG-. 


tiial,  that  we,  hearing  their  voices  and  following 
their  example,  might  "  bless  Him." 

"  Sun,  moon  and  stars  convey  His  praise 

Round  the  whole  earth,  and  never  stand." 

A  glittering  host  —  a  countless  multitude  of 
unwearied  songsters— they  roll  on, 

Forever  singing  as  they  shine, 
'The  Hand  that  made  us  is  Divine.'" 

Turning  to  the  globe  on  which  we  live,  we 
hear  voices  innumerable,  and  are  constrained  to 
acknowledge  that  we  are  urged  to  unite  in 
Jehovah's  praise  by 

"Earth,  with  her  ten  thousand  tongues." 

How  impressive  and  fascinating  are  many  of 
these  utterances ! 

"  The  lark  mounts  up  the  sky 
With  unambitious  song; 
And  bears  her  Maker's  praise  on  high. 
Upon  her  artless  tongue." 

The  grove  is  vocal  with  the  mellifluous  notes  of 
the  winged  warblers.  The  streamlet,  as  it  hastens 
onward,  sings  softly  and  sweetly  of  Him  who  bids 
its  waters  flow.  The  waves  of  old  Ocean  rejoice 
to  sound  "  the  base  in  Nature's  anthem,"  and  rest 
not  day  nor  night.  The  voice  of  Niagara  is  heard 
afar,  proclaiming  the  majesty  and  glory  of  God. 

And  what  shall  we  say  of  the  whisperings  of 
vernal  breezes ;  the  sighings  of  zephyrs ;  the  wail- 
ings  of  the  storm ;  the  roar  of  the  tornado ;  the 
peal  from  the  overhanging  cloud,  and  the  awful 


THE  SEKYICE  OF  SOXG. 


139 


detonations  of  the  more  distant  thunder?  Do 
they  not  call  upon  us  in  soothing  strains,  as  well 
as  in  terrific  tones,  to  praise  God,  not  only  for  His 
goodness  and  mercy,  but  also  for  His  truth  and 
justice  ? 

Shall  we  speak  of  sights  as  w^ell  as  sounds? 
The  lily  in  the  valley,  the  rose  by  the  wayside, 
and  the  wild  flower  on  the  mountain  crag,  display 
their  enameled  leaves,  gorgeously  or  delicately 
dyed,  and  emit  their  delicious  fragrance  in  honor 
of  Him  whose  praises  we  are  called  upon  to  cele- 
brate. Green  meadows,  blooming  gardens,  bend- 
ing orchards,  leafy  woods,  and  fields  crow^ned  with 
golden  harvests,  all  invite  us  to  join  with  glad 
hearts  in  the  general  song.  The  glory  of  God  is 
displayed  by  the  fish  of  the  sea  and  the  beasts 
of  the  earth ;  it  is  mirrored  in  every  fountain,  lake, 
and  river ;  it  is  heralded  by  the  falling  rain,  and 
it  is  written  upon  all  the  rocks ;  it  is  reflected  by 
every  particle  of  dust  beneath  our  feet,  and  it  is 
'  illustrated  by  the  glowing  clouds  which  pavilion 
the  rising  and  setting  sun.  Every  object  above, 
beneath,  around  —  all  the  Creator's  works  —  are 
forever  united  in  one  grand  chorus  of  praise  to 
their  Divine  Orii^inal. 

O,  man  I  gifted  with  intelligence  and  immor- 
tality ;  redeemed  by  Christ  and  capable  of  bear- 
ing His  image,  can  you  stand  mute  in  the  midst 
of  this  universal  adoration  ?  O,  woman !  repre- 
sentative of  the  women-singers  of  the  olden  time — 


140 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


earth's  angel — expectant  of  celestial  honors  and 
joys — can  you  listen  to  the  anthems  which  echo 
and  re-echo  through  the  world  without  mingling 
your  voice  in  the  grand  and  never-ceasing  concert  ? 

Warmed  with  holy  fire,  shall  we  not,  as  Chris- 
tians, rather  be  leaders  in  the  song  ?  Shall  we  not, 
with  the  poet,  go  in  advance,  and  call  upon  all 
men  and  all  things  to  join  us  in  our  worship? 

"  Praise  ye  the  Lord,  y'  immortal  choirs, 
That  fill  the  worlds  above : 
Praise  Him  who  formed  you  with  His  fires, 
And  feeds  you  with  His  love. 

**  Shine  to  His  praise,  ye  crystal  skies, 
The  floor  of  His  abode; 
Or  veil  in  shade  your  thousand  eyes 
Before  your  brighter  God. 

**  Thou  restless  globe  of  golden  light, 
Whose  beams  create  our  days. 
Join  with  the  silver  queen  of  night 
To  own  your  borrowed  rays. 

Winds,  ye  shall  bear  His  name  aloud 

Through  the  ethereal  blue ; 
For  when  His  chai-iot  is  a  cloud. 

He  makes  His  wheels  of  you. 

"  Thunder  and  hail,  and  fire  and  storms, 
The  troops  of  His  command, 
Appear  in  all  your  dreadful  forms. 
And  speak  His  awful  hand. 

**  Shout  to  the  Lord,  ye  surging  seas, 
In  your  eternal  roar  : 
Let  wave  to  wave  resound  His  praise, 
And  shore  reply  to  shore : 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


141 


*'  While  monsters,  sporting  on  the  flood, 
In  scaly  silver  shine. 
Speak  terribly  their  maker.  God, 
And  lash  the  foaming  brine. 

**  But  gentler  things  shall  tune  His  name 
To  softer  notes  than  these  : 
Young  zephyrs  breathing  o'er  the  stream, 
Or  whispering  through  the  trees. 

**  Wave  your  tall  heads,  ye  lofty  pines. 
To  Him  that  bids  you  grow : 
Sweet  clusters,  bend  the  fruitful  vines 
On  every  thankful  bough. 

**  Let  the  shrill  birds  His  honors  raise, 
And  climb  the  morning  sky  : 
WTiile  grov'ling  beasts  attempt  His  praise, 
In  hoarser  harmony. 

**  Thus  while  the  meaner  creatures  sing. 
Ye  mortals,  take  the  sound : 
Echo  the  glories  of  your  King 
Through  all  the  nations  round. " 


142 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


SECTION  II.— HOW  SHOULD  WE  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

CHOIRS. 

Definition  of  a  Choir  —  Choirs  obtained  under  the  Jewish  Dispensa- 
tion —  Choirs  not  Popish  in  their  Origin  —  Not  necessarily  of 
Judaizing  Tendency  —  Paid  Choirs  Bearing  Burdens  —  Of  the 
Members  of  the  Choir  —  Place  for  the  Choir  —  Illustrative  Nar- 
rative  —  Putting  the  Singers  in  the  Gallery  —  Mostly  Plain  Tunes 
should  be  Sung  —  Aelredus'  Description  —  Singing  of  the  Col- 
ored People  in  Cities  —  Science  in  Music  — The  Precentor  —  The 
Effect  of  Discord  —  The  Choir  should  Lead  while  all  Sing  — 
Productive  of  Great  Good. 

Striving  still  to  inculcate  the  great  truth 
that  all  should  sing,  we  would  now  call  special 
attention  to  the  manner  in  which  this  part 
of  Divine  worship  should  be  conducted.  It  is 
evident  that  we  may  have  the  form  without  the 
power.  There  is  often  a  routine  of  outward  per- 
formances where  there  is  no  genuine  worship. 
Hence,  having  been  impressed  with  the  fact  that 
it  is  both  our  privilege  and  our  duty  to  engage  in 
the  service  of  God,  it  is  highly  important  that  we 
ascertain  how  this  service  may  be  most  acceptably 
rendered.  In  regard  to  devotional  singing,  several 
particulars  claim  our  consideration. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


143 


We  may  first  ask  the  question :  Should  there 
be  a  Choir  in  the  Church  ?  By  a  Choir  we  under- 
stand a  company  of  singers  charged  with  the  duty 
of  leading  in  the  Church  music.  From  the  perti- 
nacity and  bitterness  with  which  choirs  have  been 
opposed  by  some  good  men,  it  might  be  supposed 
that  they  are  sinful  per  se — always  and  necessarily 
sinful.  This,  however,  can  not  be  the  case;  for 
they  were  allowed  a  place  in  the  Church  under 
the  Jewish  dispensation  by  Divine  direction :  there 
is  nothing  in  the  arrangement  at  all  repugnant  to 
the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures,  either  of  the  Old 
or  New  Testament,  and  they  are  sanctioned  in  this 
day  by  many  of  the  holiest  and  wisest  ministers 
and  members  in  the  various  branches  of  the 
Christian  Church.  Choirs  are  evidently  lawful: 
the  question  is,  are  they  expedient  ? 

Some  may  contend  that  inasmuch  as  choirs  were 
introduced  into  the  Church  in  the  fourth  century 
of  the  Christian  era,  about  the  commencement  of 
the  dark  ages,  they  are  Popish  in  their  nature  and 
tendency,  and  should,  therefore,  be  rejected.  But 
this  view  is  manifestly  incorrect.  Choirs  existed, 
as  we  have  seen,  for  nearly  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred years  before  the  coming  of  Christ.  They 
were,  doubtless,  instituted  by  Moses  in  the  wilder- 
ness at  the  time  the  tabernacle  service  was  estab- 
lished— the  singers,  as  well  as  the  priests  and  the 
other  functionaries  of  the  Church,  being  chosen 
from  the  tribe  of  Levi.    It  was  the  abuse  of  the 


144 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


clioir  institution  that  disgraced  the  Church  from 
the  fourth  to  the  sixteenth  century.  Perverted 
from  its  original- design,  which  was  to  lead  in  the 
singing,  the  choir  was  made  to  monopolize  that 
part  of  the  worship.  The  object  of  this  usurpa- 
tion was,  of  course,  the  aggrandizement  of  the 
clergy  ;  for,  as  was  shown  in  a  preceding  chapter, 
they  ultimately  claimed  the  privilege  of  conduct- 
ing the  Church  music  to  the  entire  exclusion  of 
the  laity. 

But  if  choirs  have  not  necessarily  a  papal  savor, 
some  may  suppose  that,  being  of  Jewish  origin, 
they  are  not  admissible  under  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation. But  it  must  be  remembered  that,  under 
the  Mosaic  dispensation,  some  things,  as  the  offer- 
ing of  sacrifices,  were  designed  to  be  typical  of 
good  things  to  come,  and  were,  in  the  nature  of 
the  case,  transient :  other  services  enjoined  by  the 
law,  as  singing  and  prayer,  being  parts  of  Divine 
worship,  were  obviously  designed  to  be  permanent. 
The  music  of  the  Temple,  if  typical  at  all,  was 
emblematical  of  the  songs  of  saints  and  angels  in 
heaven ;  and  of  this  symbol,  we  in  these  latter 
times  have  as  much  need  as  the  people  had  pre- 
vious to  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  The  peculiar 
office  of  the  choir  must  still  be  filled,  either  by 
one  person  or  by  several  singers  associated  to- 
gether ;  and,  if  it  can  be  done  better  by  a  com- 
pany than  by  an  individual,  it  is  needless  to  say 
that  the  choir  arrangement  should  be  adopted. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


145 


Although  we  thus  speak,  we  are  free  to  admit 
that  the  opposition  to  choirs  is,  in  many  instances, 
well  founded.  Their  tendency  to  monopolize  the 
singing  has  been  too  often  seen  in  modern  times, 
and  in  Protestant  congregations.  An  erroneous 
view  seems  to  be  entertained  by  many  as  to  the 
object  of  Church  music.  Xot  a  few  seem  to  regard 
it  simply  as  a  matter  of  entertainment — a  pleasant 
recreation  from  the  more  arduous  portions  of  the 
service — a  thing  not  of  use  but  of  ornament — a 
luxury,  not  a  necessity.  This  being  the  case,  the 
music  must  be  intricate  in  kind  and  exquisite  in 
execution;  sound  must  predominate  over  sense, 
and  the  whole  congregation,  apart  from  the  choir, 
must  assume  the  attitude  of  passive  listeners. 
The  idea  of  worship  being  well  nigh  ignored,  each 
one  in  the  assembly  sets  himself  to  enjoy  the  oc- 
casion as  best  he  can.  Some  are  lolling  at  ease 
in  their  pews  lost  in  reverie ;  some  are,  like  Napo- 
leon, listening  to  the  music  that  it  may  aid  them 
to  think  about  other  things ;  some  are  delighted 
with  the  faultless  performance  of  a  favorite  piece 
by  the  choir,  while  very  few,  if  any,  are  spiritually 
engaged.  The  persons  composing  the  choir  are 
manifestly  prompted  solely  b}"  a  desire  to  excel 
in  their  department,  and  they  give  the  same  indica- 
tions of  thoughtlessness  and  worldliness  that  they 
would  in  a  meeting  for  practice,  or  at  the  opera. 
Even  the  minister  so  demeans  himself  as  to  con- 
vince the  people  that  he  is  not  engaged  in  the  act 

10 


146 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


of  religious  worship :  he  is  adjusting  liis  manu- 
script, turning  over  the  leaves  of  the  Bible,  or 
giving  directions  to  the  sexton.  D  uring  the  prayer, 
all  are  quiet  and  apparently  devout :  during  the 
preaching,  all  are  respectful  and  attentive.  Why, 
then,  this  utter  indifference  during  the  singing  ? 
Can  such  a  sheer  mockery  be  acceptable  to  God  ? 
Would  it  not  be  better  to  dispense  with  the  music 
altogether  than  to  desecrate  the  Church  with  this 
miserable  counterfeit  of  true  worship  ? 

Would  that  this  idea  of  singing  by  proxy  could 
be,  at  once  and  forever,  banished  from  the  Church. 
Can  we  pray  by  proxy — repent  by  proxy — believe 
by  proxy — be  converted  by  proxy — render  our  ac- 
count at  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ  by  proxy? 
Can  we  go  to  heaven  and  sing  there  by  proxy  ? 
How,  then,  did  we  ever  get  the  idea  that  we  might 
sit  silently  in  the  Church  while  a  few  friends  in 
the  gallery  were  so  kind  as  to  do  our  singing  for 
us,  thus  saving  us  the  trouble?  How  have  we 
managed  to  get  our  own  consent  to  neglect  a  duty 
positively  enjoined  upon  us  by  Divine  authority? 
How  can  we  willingly  forego  one  of  the  most  ex- 
alted privileges  vouchsafed  to  mortals  ? 

To  show  how  some  persons  think  and  feel  on 
the  subject  of  choirs  and  Church  singing,  we  give 
the  following  extract  from  a  periodical  of  recent 
date: 

"  There  is  a  general  idea  among  the  Churches 
that  the  music  of  a  paid  choir  costs  too  much  ;  but 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


147 


a  congregation  may  as  ■well  pay  tlieir  money  as 
a  choir  spend  their  time.  A  volunteer  choir,  with 
any  ambition  to  sing  creditably,  assume  a  great 
burden.  They  assume,  first,  the  burden  of  always 
being  at  Church,  Avhether  they  may  be  sick  or 
well.  They  assume  the  expenditure  of  a  great 
deal  of  time  for  rehearsals.  They  assume  a  thous- 
and vexations.  They  expose  themselves  to  the 
criticism  of  those  who  will  not  touch  their  burden 
with  one  of  their  fingers.  Who  blames  free  men 
and  free  women  for  refusing  to  become  the  slaves 
of  others  ?  We  have  known  those  w^ho  voluntarily 
carried  the  burden  of  the  music  of  a  Church  for 
many  years,  as  a  Christian  duty,  and  we  give 
them  all  honor ;  but  we  have  no  right  to  ask  it  of 
them — no  more  right,  really,  than  to  ask  a  minister 
to  give  us  his  time  for  nothing  and  find  himself.  It 
is  very  pretty  for  a  congregation  to  gather  together 
and  hear  good  singing,  and  not  have  it  cost  them 
anything;  but  tlie  fact  is,  all  good  singing — all 
singing  worthy  of  the  house  of  God — costs  some- 
body something — nay,  costs  somebody  a  great 
deal.  Why  should  a  choir  bear  the  whole  of  this 
cost,  and  the  congregation  none  of  it  ? 

"  Those  who  devote  their  lives  to  music  are  those 
best  calculated  to  perform  acceptably  the  music 
of  the  sanctuary.  We  should  add  to  this  class 
all  who,  by  the  expenditure  of  abundant  time  and 
money,  have  become  excellent  in  this  accomplish- 
ment.   To  the  first  of  these,  music  is  the  instru- 


148  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG.  , 

ment  by  which,  they  win  their  livelihood ;  to  the 
last,  it  has  been  a  costly  thing,  and  they  deserve 
return.  It  is  just  as  reasonable,  and  just  as  legiti- 
mate, for  a  man  to  sing  God's  praise  for  a  living, 
as  it  is  to  preach  God's  truth  or  lead  in  any  other 
department  of  Christian  worship  for  a  living ;  and 
a  Church  or  a  parish  which  shrinks  from  assuming 
its  part  of  the  burden  of  church  music  can  only 
justify  itself  by  the  plea  of  poverty  or  constitu- 
tional meanness." 

In  the  remarks  made  by  this  writer  previous  to 
these  utterances,  he  assumes  that  in  this  country, 
at  the  present  day,  good  congregational  singing  is 
not  to  be  expected,  and  he  attributes  the  efforts 
made  in  that  direction  to  a  desire  to  make  money 
by  the  sale  of  music  books.  As  the  extract  shows, 
he  advocates  a  paid  choir — a  choir  of  professional 
singers,  who  are  to  be  exposed  to  criticism  in  their 
performances  as  one  of  the  burdens  which  they 
are  to  bear.  The  people  are  to  be  exempted  from 
this  burden  by  paying  their  money  freely — hiring 
others  to  bear  it  for  them.  Those  who  constitute 
a  voluntary  choir  are  the  slaves  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  the  latter  come  together  to  hear  good 
singing.  Those  who  devote  their  lives  to  music — 
in  the  theatre,  the  ball-room,  or  the  concert-hall — 
^  are  to  sing  God's  praise  for  a  living !  The  Chris- 
tian heart  sickens  at  the  contemplation  of  such 
an ti- Scriptural,  sordid,  God-dishonoring  views. 
How  different  the  judgment  of  John  Wesley, 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


149 


expressed  in  his  Journal  of  April  8,  1787.  He 
says :    I  preached  in  Bethesda,  Mr.  Smyth's  new 

chapel  Mr.  Smyth  read  prayers  and 

gave  out  the  hymns,  which  were  sung  by  fifteen 
or  twenty-five  singers ;  the  rest  of  the  congrega- 
tion listening  with  much  attention,  and  with  as 
much  devotion  as  they  would  have  done  to  an 
opera.  But  is  this  Christian  worship  ?  Or  ought 
it  ever  to  be  suffered  in  a  Christian  Church  ?" 

It  must  be  evident  that  choirs  organized  and 
serving  on  the  proxy  principle  can  be  nothing 
short  of  a  moral  nuisance — a  grievous  hindrance 
to  the  worship  rather  than  a  help. 

On  the  other  hand,  let  it  be  distinctly  under- 
stood that  all,  whether  members  of  the  choir  or 
not,  are  under  the  most  sacred  obligations  to  sing, 
and  that,  consequently,  there  are  to  be  no  inactive 
listeners,  no  critics.  Let  the  choir  lead  the  con- 
gregation, on  the  same  principle  that  the  officers 
in  an  army  lead  the  soldiers  under  their  command — 
not  to  supplant  them,  but  to  add  to  their  efficiency. 
Constructed  upon  this  basis,  the  choir  arrangement 
may  often  be  greatly  beneficial. 

Most  of  those  who  adopt  this  view  will,  doubt- 
less, concur  in  the  opinion  that  the  leader  of  the 
choir  should  be  an  exemplary  member  of  the 
Church.  We  are  not  now  considering  what  would 
be  best  in  an  extreme  case.  But,  ordinarily,  he 
who  is  prominent  in  any  part  of  the  Church  ser- 
vice ought,  by  all  means,  himself  to  be  a  devout 


150 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


and  spiritual  worshiper.  This  statement  sounds 
too  much  like  a  self-evident  proposition  to  admit 
of  argument.  That  in  selecting  a  chief  chorister,  or 
precentor,  especial  reference  should  be  had  to  the 
heart  and  life  as  well  as  to  the  head  and  the  voice, 
is  a  sentiment  that  need  only  be  uttered  to  pro- 
duce conviction  of  its  truth  and  importance. 

We  are  also  of  opinion  that  the  majority  of 
those  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  leader 
should  be  pious.  To  associate  a  dozen  or  a  score 
of  irreligious  persons  together  to  conduct  the 
Church  singing,  is  a  procedure  which  merits  the 
most  emphatic  disapproval  of  all  Christians.  It 
would  not  be  proper  to  scrutinize  too  rigidly  the 
spiritual  condition  of  those  who  are  expected  to 
compose  the  choir ;  but  the  general  rule  that  two- 
thirds  or  three-fourths  of  those  admitted  to  this 
responsible  position  must  be  members  of  the 
Church,  could  be  easily  enforced. 

Again,  the  proper  position  for  the  choir  is  not 
in  the  gallery,  but  on  the  lower  floor,  the  trained 
singers  constituting  a  visible  and  integral  part  of 
the  congregation.  The  presence  of  the  choir  in 
the  very  midst  of  the  assembly,  the  tune  being 
promptly  and  properly  ^^itched  and  heartily  sus- 
tained by  a  full  volume  of  voice,  would  be  a 
powerful  stimulus  to  "  all  the  people "  to  unite 
in  the  worship.  "  Joy  is  heard  in  the  modulations 
of  verse,  and  in  the  sweet  swell  and  cadence  of 
music.    One  reason  for  this  is  that  thus  our  joy 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


151 


may  be  social.  The  sliout  of  one  warrior  animates 
another.  The  song  of  one  laborer  cheers  another 
as  well  as  himself  in  their  mutual  toil.  The  song 
of  victory  in  one  part  of  the  held  stimulates  the 
combatants  where  the  battle  is  yet  doubtful ;  and 
the  common  chorus  heightens  the  common  tri- 
umph. In  heaven  all  is  social,  all  is  action  and 
reaction.  There  is  song  in  heaven  because  there 
is  joy  there  ;  joy  too  strong  to  be  confined  to  the 
heart.  It  must  not  only  be  felt,  but  sung;  not 
only  sung,  but  sung  in  chorus,  rising  till  the  voice 
is  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  as  the  voice  of  a 
great  thunder."  ''^ 

In  England  and  in  Scotland,"  says  John  Angel 
James,  "  at  least  among  Non-conformists,  the  peo- 
ple would  think  themselves  almost  as  much 
defrauded  if  they  were  denied  the  service  of  song 
in  the  sanctuary  as  they  would  if  denied  the  ser- 
mon. What,  for  real  sublimity  and  acceptable- 
ness  to  God,  is  the  finest  music  performed  by  hired 
solos  or  the  most  effective  choir  compared  with 
the  swell  of  hundreds  of  human  voices,  pouring 
forth  in  one  grand  diapason  the  raptures  or  the 
sorrows  of  hundreds  of  regenerated  hearts  ?  " 

The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Raffles,  of  Liverpool,  wrote  to 
an  American  editor :  "  How  is  it  that  your  country 
people  do  not  sing  in  the  house  of  God ;  but  leave 
it  to  the  choir  to  sing  for  them,  and  are  thus  con- 
tent to  perform  the  most  exhilarating  and  delight- 

*  Rev.  R.  Watson. 


152 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


fill  portion  of  public  worship  by  proxy  ?  I  confess 
I  have  often  been  astonished  at  this,  and  have  de- 
plored that  loss  of  high  spiritual  enjoyment  which 
our  trans- Atlantic  brethren  are  willing  by  reason 
of  such  a  practice  to  suffer." 

A  powerful  impulse  must  be  given  to  the  people 
when  the  choir,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  assem- 
bly, act  only  as  the  acknowledged  leaders  in  the 
service  of  song. 

This  arrangement,  which  already  obtains  in 
some  Churches,  would  also  have  a  happy  effect 
upon  the  choir.  Occupying  a  remote  and  secluded 
position,  the  temptation  to  listlessness  and  levity 
is  frequently  yielded  to,  especially  by  the  young. 
As  an  illustration  of  this  remark  the  following- 
narrative  is  given :  "  Many  years  ago,"  says  a 
writer  in  a  'New  York  paper,  "  I  boarded,  when 
very  young,  with  a  family  in  the  South,  the  head 
of  which  was  the  organist  in  the  Church.  Not 
being  attached  to  any  Church  or  form,  I  sometimes 
attended  Divine  service  with  him,  and,  for  con- 
venience, sat  in  the  organ-loft  The  loft 

was  railed  in,  and  furnished  with  substantial, 
thick,  crimson  curtains,  which,  when  drawn,  were 
sufficient  to  exclude  vulgar  eyes  from  the  hallowed 
interior. 

"  It  was  customary,  when  the  excellent  ritual  of 
devotion  was  gone  through,  and  the  Rector  had 
named  his  text,  for  the  singers  to  draw  the  curtains 
around  them,  and  read  or  sleep  as  it  suited  them 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


153 


best.  In  very  warm  weather  tliey  also  took  care 
to  be  supplied  with  refreshments ;  and  thus  the 
tedious  half  hour  allotted  to  the  sermon  was  pretty 
easily  consumed  without  much  weariness.  I  recol- 
lect that  on  one  very  warm  Sabbath  afternoon,  the 
singers  had  loatermelons  and  lemonade  where- 
with to  console  themselves ;  and  it  happened  that 
one  of  the  gentlemen,  in  handing  a  slice  to  a  lady 
singer,  overset  the  pitcher  of  lemonade.  This 
might  not  have  been  of  much  consequence  had 
the  floor  of  the  organ-loft  been  liquor-tight.  But 
there  were  many  chinks  in  it,  and  the  lemonade 
trickled  through  pretty  freely  down  into  the  broad 
aisle,  to  the  discomfiture  of  the  Rector,  and  such 
of  his  congregation  as  were  wakeful  enough  to 
notice  passing  events." 

We  need  hardly  say  that  such  a  scene  could 
not  have  occurred  but  for  the  separation  and  con- 
cealment of  the  choir  from  the  congregation. 

"  The  gallery,  the  modern  place  of  performance, 
is  altogether  an  innovation  of  later  times,  and 
Popish  in  its  origin.  That  corrupt  idolatry  of 
music  which  prevailed  in  Italy,  induced  the  ad- 
mittance of  persons  into  the  choir  who  were 
obviously  unfit  to  sit  among  the  clergy,  and  there- 
fore, were  placed,  like  mere  instruments,  in  a  loft. 
There  is  an  appearance  of  theatrical  exhibition  in 
this  obtrusive  elevation  of  the  singers,  frequently 
attracting  the  gaze  of  the  congregation  (perhaps 
I  should  say  of  the  audience)  below ;  who  turn 


154 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


tlieir  backs  upon  minister,  altar,  and  everything 
sacred,  absorbed  by  that  which  a  savage  would 

actually  suppose  to  be  the  idol  of  worship  

The  modern  practice  cuts  off  the  clergyman  from 
the  singers,  and  gives  to  the  latter  an  improper 
elevation."  ^' 

We  may  further  suggest  that  the  tunes  sung  by 
the  choir  should  be  mostly  plain,  familiar  pieces. 
The  people  generally,  especially  in  this  country, 
have  but  little  musical  culture,  and,  hence,  they 
can  not  be  expected  to  unite  in  singing  new  and 
difficult  tunes.  A  pencliant  for  new  tunes  has 
been  the  bane  of  choirs.  The  indulgence  of  this 
fondness  for  novelty  and  display  generally  pre- 
vents the  residue  of  the  congregation  from  uniting 
in  the  service.  The  supposition  that  the  lighter 
modern  compositions  are  superior  to  the  old 
Church  tunes  which  have  been  in  use  for  ages,  is 
utterly  erroneous.  Old  Hundretli^  and  other  pieces 
of  like  character,  will  continue  to  waft  the  souls 
of  the  multitude  upward,  as  on  eagles'  wings,  till 
time  shall  be  no  longer. 

But  we  would  not  impede  the  march  of  mind; 
we  would  not  be  forgetful  of  the  excellencies  of 
modern  musical  productions.  New  tunes  should 
be  introduced  occasionally,  and  they  should  be 
sung  so  frequently  that  all  may  learn  them  per- 
fectly. 

*  Rev.  J.  Jebb. 


THE  SERVICK  OF  SOXG. 


155 


We  want  plain  singing  as  well  as  plain  tunes. 
Those  who  conduct  the  Church  music  should  be 
free  from  even  the  semblance  of  affectation.  Any 
unnataralness  of  manner,  whether  exhibited  in 
the  movements  of  the  body,  the  expression  of  the 
countenance,  or  the  tones  of  the  voice,  is  altogether 
intolerable.  On  this  subject  hear  Aelredus,  Ab- 
bot of  Rivaulx,  in  Yorkshire,  England,  w^ho  died 
A.  D. 1166: 

"  To  what  purpose  serves  that  contraction  and 
inflection  of  the  voyce  ?  This  man  sings  a  base, 
this  a  small  meane,  another  a  treble,  a  fourth  di- 
vides and  cuts  asunder,  as  it  were,  certaine  middle 
notes.  One  while  the  voyce  is  strained,  anon  it  is 
remitted,  now  againe  it  is  dashed,  and  then  againe 
it  is  enlarged  with  a  lowder  sound.  Sometimes, 
which  is  a  shame  to  speake,  it  is  enforced  into  an 
horse's  neighings :  sometimes,  the  masculine  vigor 
being  laid  aside,  it  is  sharpened  into  the  shrill- 
nesse  of  a  woman's  voyce ;  now  and  then  it  is 
w^rithed,  and  retorted  with  a  certaine  artificial  cir- 
cumvolution. Sometimes  thou  mayest  see  a  man 
with  an  open  mouth,  not  to  sing,  but,  as  it  were, 
to  breathe  out  his  last  gaspe,  by  shutting  in  his 
breath,  and  by  a  certaine  ridiculous  interception 
of  his  voyce,  as  it  were  to  threaten  silence,  and 
now  againe  to  imitate  the  agonies  of  a  dying  man, 
or  the  extasies  of  such  as  suffer. 

"  In  the  meantime,  the  w^hole  body  is  stirred  up 
and  downe  with  certaine  histrionical  gestures :  the 


156 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


lips  are  wreathed,  the  eyes  turne  round,  the  shoul- 
ders play,  and  the  bending  of  the  fingers  doth  an- 
swer every  note.  And  this  ridiculous  dissolution 
is  called  religion ;  and  where  these  things  are  most 
frequently  done,  it  is  proclaimed  abroad  that  God 
is  there  honorably  served.  In  the  meantime,  the 
common  people  looke  upon  the  gesticulations  of 
the  singers,  the  meretricious  alternations,  inter- 
changes, and  inflections  of  the  voyces,  not  without 
derision  and  laughter ;  so  that  a  man  may  thinke 
that  they  came,  not  to  an  oratory  or  to  a  house  of 
prayer,  but  to  a  theatre  ;  not  to  pray,  but  to  gaze 
about  them  ;  neither  is  that  dreadful  Majesty 
feared  before  whom  they  stand.  Thus,  this 
Church  singing,  which  the  holy  fathers  have  or- 
dained that  the  weake  might  be  stirred  up  to  piety, 
is  perverted  to  the  use  of  unlawful  pleasure,  i.  <?., 
the  vanity  of  the  singers." 

We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  affirm  that  the  arti- 
ficialities in  singers  which  have  so  often  excited 
disgust  are  not  necessarily  an  indigenous  growth 
of  the  choir  system.  And  here  we  may  ask,  are 
there  no  evils  besetting  the  old  hap-hazard  cus- 
tom— we  can  not  call  it  system  ? 

It  is  a  bright,  serene  Sabbath  morning.  You  pass 
the  threshold  of  the  Church  and  compose  yourself 
for  the  sacred  services.  The  minister  rises  in  the 
pulpit  and  announces  the  hymn.  You  are  ready  to 
unite  in  the  singing,  but  nobod}^  sings !  Instead 
of  a  general  and  hearty  outburst  of  praise,  there  is 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


157 


an  awful  pause."  It  is  tlie  business  of  all,  and 
yet  of  no  one,  to  raise  tlie  tune.  At  last  the 
preacher  says,  dryly  and  imploringly,  "  We  will 
thank  some  friend  to  pitch  the  tune."  The  eyes 
of  all  are  now  turned  to  some  individual  who  is 
supposed  to  he  skilled  in  music,  at  least  sufficiently 
so  to  render  assistance  in  this  time  of  distress. 
Eventually  this  benevolent  "friend"  finds  that 
there  is  no  way  of  escape  :  although  a  very  modest 
man,  and  withal  less  expert  in  the  science  of  tune- 
raising  than  many  have  supposed,  yet  necessity 
is  laid  upon  him — he  must  raise  his  head,  and 
face  tlie  music  !  or,  in  other  words,  he  must  face 
the  congregation  with  the  music.  But,  alas !  his 
trepidation  has  now  reached  the  choking  point, 
and  the  feeble  voice  which  is  left  to  him  is  as  trem- 
ulous as  that  of  an  infirm  patriarch.  In  his  pres- 
ent condition,  it  will  be  a  marvelously  fortunate 
hit  if  he  strike  a  tune  at  all.  The  fear  is  that  he 
will  do  like  Bishop  Pierce's  "  friend  "  in  the  South- 
West,  who,  however,  was  self-constituted.  This 
individual  essayed  to  act  as  chorister,  but,  unhap- 
pily, instead  of  leading  the  congregation  steadily 
and  edifyingly  through  the  tune,  he  could  not 
himself  make  headway  —  his  voice  "  sprangled 
among  the  notes  generally." 

If  the  tune  be  raised,  its  metre  may  be  different 
from  that  of  the  hymn.  A  dilemma  of  this  sort 
sometimes  results  in  a  complete  break-down ;  and 
sometimes  the  determination  not  to  be  outdone  is 


158 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


sucli  as  to  lead  to  the  barbarous  operation  of 
crowding  a  common  metre  hymn  into  a  short  metre 
tune;  or,  of  stretching  common  metre  to  the  di- 
mensions of  long  metre.  To  witness  one  scene  of 
butchery  like  this,  is  enough  for  a  lifetime,  unless 
the  nerves  of  the  unfortunate  listener  be  of  steel. 

But  if  the  metre  be  right,  the  pitch  is  apt  to  be 
too  low  or  too  high ;  and  if  so,  the  singing  will, 
either  groan,  and  grovel  in  the  dust,  or  scream, 
and  strain  itself  upward  as  if  ineffectually  striving 
to  grasp  the  topmost  round  of  a  lofty  ladder.  The 
tune,  too,  it  is  likely  has  been  used  until  it  is  com- 
pletely worn  out.  It  must  be  bowed  with  age,  or 
in  some  way  disabled ;  for,  in  its  earlier  days, 
when  sung  by  Luther,  Wesley,  and  Asbury  and 
his  co-adjutors,  it  moved  along  buoyantly  and 
briskly ;  but  now,  see  how  it  limps  and  halts,  and, 
in  its  best  moods,  goes  only  at  a  snail's  pace. 

But  how  can  we  describe  the  want  of  coherency 
and  concord  which  so  sadly  mars  the  music,  in- 
correctly so-called.  The  voices  do  not  blend  to- 
gether— there  is  no  flow  of  sound ;  but,  some  being 
out  of  tune  and  some  in  tune — some  too  fast  and 
some  too  slow — you  would  almost  be  disposed  to 
address  the  singers  and  say,  in  the  language  of 
the  Apostle,  "Every  one  of  you  hath  a  psalm." 

Look  over  the  assembly  :  nine-tenths  of  the 
people  are  silent,  and  those  who  attempt  to  sing 
are,  apparently,  utterly  devoid  of  the  spirit  of  de- 
votion.   Is  this  congregational  singing'^:  Would 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


159 


such  liarsli  drawling  have  pleased  Asaph,  or  Da- 
vid, or  Charles  "Wesle}'  ?  Can  it  please  God  ?  In 
this  connection,  may  we  notnse  the  words  of  good 
old  John  Kyland  of  Xorthampton :  "Do  ye  call 
that  singing  ?  If  the  angels  in  heaven  were  to 
hear  ye,  they  would  come  down  and  wring  your 
necks  off." 

"We  are  disposed  to  demur  to  the  opinion,  ex- 
pressed by  many,  that  good  congregational  sing- 
ing may  be  had  without  either  the  study  or  practice 
of  the  science  of  music.  To  test  the  question,  let 
us  convene  a  congregation  composed  of  persons 
who  have  never  sung — never  even  tried  to  sing. 
Cite  them  to  the  hymn  and  request  them  to  sing. 
Can  they  do  it  ?  We  know  they  can  not.  They 
have  voices,  but  utterly  fail  for  want  of  knowl- 
edge and  practice. 

The  singing  of  the  colored  people  in  our  cities 
is  frequently  mentioned  to  show  that  science  in 
music  is  unnecessary.  And  w^ho  has  not  been 
charmed  with  the  majestic  voices  of  these  sable 
songsters,  pouring  upon  the  ear  a  torrent  of  melody, 
evidently  proceeding  from  honest  and  true  hearts  ? 
But  we  must  not  forget  that  many  of  these  people 
are  intelligent,  and  that  some  of  them  have  a  good 
theoretical  knowledge  of  music.  They  have  all 
worshiped  frequently,  or  at  least  occasionally,  w^ith 
the  w^hite  people,  and  have  heard,  from  time  to 
time,  the  best  singing  that  our  city  Churches  can 
afford.    It  may  be  that  in  this  way  they  have 


160 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


learned  the  tunes,  and  having  worshiped  together, 
perhaps  every  Sabbath  for  several  years,  they 
have  had  ample  opportunity  for  practice.  There- 
fore, their  success  must  be  attributed  to  "  familiar 
science" — the  principles  of  science  practically 
applied.  Why  do  not  the  savages  in  Africa  sing 
like  the  colored  people  in  Charleston,  and  in  other 
Southern  cities  ? 

Science  has  sometimes  been  decried  as  if  it 
were  a  strait-jacket,  confining  the  limbs,  and 
crushing  the  life  out  of  the  subjects  to  which  it  is 
applied.  We  need  not  pause  to  inquire  how  much 
the  very  persons  who  thus  speak  are  indebted  to 
science — in  agriculture,  manufactures,  mechanics, 
navigation,  medicine,  law,  politics,  and  in  fact  in 
all  the  pursuits  in  which  men  are  engaged. 

Order,  system,  or  science  pervades  the  Creator's 
works  throughout  the  universe.  Why,  then,  should 
science  in  music  be  despised  or  lightly  esteemed  ? 

The  Eev.  J.  E,.  Scott  says  : 
Music,  like  every  science,  forms  a  department 
of  God's  truth.  As  such,  it  has  its  laws,  no  less 
fixed  and  unalterable  than  those  of  any  other 
science.  These  laws  have  been  ascertained  and 
systematized,  just  as  in  the  other  sciences.  As  in 
chemistry,  it  is  found,  by  experiment,  that  certain 
gases,  combining  in  certain  definite  proportions, 
form  water ;  so  in  music,  experiment  shows  that  to 
produce  a  given  eflTect,  sounds  must  follow  each 
other  according  to  a  regular  scale,  in  which  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


161 


notes  are  separated  from  eacli  other  by  intervals, 
some  longer,  some  shorter,  but  so  mathematically 
exact,  that  notes  struck  together  in  certain  com- 
binations, invariably  produce  harmony;  while, 
sounded  together  in  other  combinations,  they 
always  produce  discord.  Only  as  these  laws  are 
observed,  can  sounds  give  pleasure,  or  awaken  any 
specific  emotion.  The  same  sounds  given  out  re- 
gardless of  these  laws,  annoy  the  ear,  and  may  even 
cause  exquisite  pain.  Now,  as  one  may  have  con- 
siderable practical  knowledge  of  chemistry,  with- 
out being  a  scientific  chemist ;  so  nature,  practice, 
and  observation,  may  have  given  an  individual  con- 
siderable acquaintance  with  music,  who  has  never 
been  taught  it  scientifically.  Still,  it  is  only  as  the 
natural  musician  really^  however  unconsciously, 
conforms  to  the  principles  enunciated  by  science, 
that  he  can  produce  any  desired  effect.  Now, 
since  the  science  of  music  embraces  all  that  nature 
and  experiment  have  taught  all  men  in  all  time 
hitherto  about  this  branch  of  truth,  it  is  presum- 
able there  is  no  one  so  gifted  as  not  to  be  capable 
of  increasing  his  skill  by  availing  himself  of  in- 
struction. The  more  nearly  the  praises  of  God's 
house  are  conformed  to  tlie  true  teachings  of  mu- 
sical science,  the  more  likely,  other  things  being 
equal,  their  design  will  be  accomplished. 

There  seems  to  be,  in  the  minds  of  man}^  of  the 
advocates  of  congregational  singing,  a  repugnance 

to  the  idea  of  church  music  being  scientific.  But 
1 1 


162 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


does  not  tliis  spring  from  a  misapprehension  of 
the  term  ?  Any  music  that  is  music  must  be  scien- 
tific.  All  that  science  does  is  to  teach  how  the 
Creator  has  constituted  things  ;  and  how,  accord- 
ing to  that  constitution,  certain  effects  are  to  be 
produced.  Scientific  is  not  opposed  to  simple  and 
appropriate.  The  peculiarities  of  different  occa- 
sions are  not  overlooked.  Science,  truly  so  called, 
will  prescribe  a  very  different  style  of  music  for 
the  house  of  God  from  that  with  which  the  sensi- 
bilities are  plied  in  the  temples  of  folly.  But  none 
the  less  will  she  aim  at  freedom  from  every  viola- 
tion of  melody  and  harmony,  and  at  bringing  out 
as  fully  as  possible  every  resource  for  expressing 
naturally  and  truly  the  sentiment  sung,  and  for 
enhancing  its  impression  on  the  heart.  While, 
therefore,  no  one  is  to  wait  until  he  has  made  him- 
self a  scientific  musician  before  joining  in  sing- 
ing, is  it  not  still  the  manifest  duty  of  every  one 
to  fit  himself,  so  far  as  his  means  will  admit,  for 
serving  God  in  this  delightful  and  elevating  exer- 
cise the  best  he  can — on  scientific  principlesf^ 

Of  course  we  do  not  believe  it  practicable  for 
the  Church  in  every  place  to  enjoy  the  services  of 
a  choir.  In  many  communities,  especially  in  the 
more  sparsely  settled  sections,  the  most  that  can 
be  expected  is  that  the  people  generally  will  im- 
prove such  opportunities  for  tlie  acquisition  of 
musical  knowledge  as  may  be  within  their  reach ; 
and  that,  in  Divine  worship,  they  will  sing  as  best 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


163 


they  can,  some  one  being  set  apart  to  lead  in  tlie 
music.  If  we  could  speak  a  word  in  the  ear  of  this 
individual,  v/e  would  assure  him  that  very  much, 
as  to  the  interest  and  profit  of  the  service,  depends 
upon  him — that  the  responsibilities  upon  him  are 
such  as  should  induce  him,  in  the  fear  of  God,  to 
prepare  himself,  as  far  as  possible,  to  conduct  this 
part  of  the  worship.  We  would  entreat  him,  in 
the  language  of  inspiration,  to  sing  unto  the  Lord 
a  new  song.  That  old  common  metre  tune  is  good, 
but  it  has  become  utterly  stale.  As  it  regards  short 
metre,  the  entire  amount  of  capital  on  hand  seems 
to  be  limited  to  that  venerable  melody  which  has 
been  pressed  into  the  service  almost  every  time 
the  people  have  assembled  for  worship  during  the 
last  five  and  twenty  years.  In  other  metres  the 
stock  is  correspondingly  meagre.  A  little  effort 
will  remedy  this  difficulty.  New  tunes  are  abun- 
d  ant,  and  the  fact  that  the  precentor  has  learned  one 
tune,  is  evidence  of  his  ability  to  acquire  as  many 
more  as  may  be  necessary.  Let  the  importance 
of  the  suggestion  which  is  here  kindly  made 
be  duly  appreciated.  While  we  eschew  an  un- 
due degree  of  novelty,  let  us  not  err  in  the  opposite 
direction.  In  music,  variety  is  a  necessity.  If 
we  had  an  angel  to  sing  for  us,  we  should  want  a 
new  tune  occasionally. 

Let  it  be  distinctly  understood  that,  if  we  do  the 
best  we  can,  God  will  graciously  accept  our  ser .  ice. 
Bat  shall  we  be  blameless  if,  with  the  ability  to  do 


164 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


well,  we  do  poorly?  What  if  a  Churcli  in  any 
given  place,  comprising  a  numerous,  wealthy,  and 
intelligent  membership,  should  erect  and  dedicate 
to  the  worship  of  God  a  rough,  diminutive  log 
cabin,  instead  of  contributing  liberally  for  the 
construction  of  a  neat  and  commodious  edifice  ? 
Is  there  no  penury  and  covetousness  in  this  trans- 
action ?  What  if  the  young  man  who  has  been 
called  to  preach  the  gospel,  instead  of  do- 
ing his  utmost  to  prepare  himself  for  the  great 
work,  deliberately  yields  to  the  seductions  of 
indolence  and  luxury,  trusting  that  all  neces- 
sary aid  will  be  given  him  when  he  stands 
up  as  an  ambassador  for  Christ,  can  he  then 
exercise  strong  faith  ?  Will  his  preaching  be  as 
effective  as  it  would  have  been  with  suitable  pre- 
paration on  his  part?  Has  he  obeyed  the  injunc- 
tion— "Study  to  show  thyself  approved  unto 
God  ?"  And  what  if,  with  the  ability  to  learn  to 
sing  correctly  and  attractively,  we  bury  our  tal- 
ent— neglect  our  opportunities — shall  we  derive 
the  same  benefit  from  the  song-service  in  the  Lord's 
house  that  would  accrue  to  us  under  other  circum- 
stances ?  Can  we  say  that,  as  far  as  we  are  con- 
cerned, the  singing  and  every  other  exercise  per- 
taining to  the  Church,  is  conducted  "  decently  and 
in  order?"  In  utter  ignorance  of  the  principles 
which  must  govern  in  all  good  music — without  the 
ability  even  to  discriminate  between  good  and 
faulty  singing — can  we  say  that  we  sing  wWi  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


165 


understanding?  God  will  accept  a  mite  from 
the  poor  widow,  but  not  from  the  rich  man.  He 
will  accept  jars  and  discords  from  those  who  can 
offer  him  nothing  better,  but  will  He  be  pleased 
with  that  which  is  lame  and  imperfect  from  those 
who  are  in  circumstances  to  bring  a  proper  sacri- 
fice ?  It  is  impossible  to  read  those  passages  in 
the  Old  Testament  which  treat  of  the  singers  and 
of  the  leaders  of  song  in  the  sanctuary,  without 
reaching  the  conclusion  that  good  music  was 
contemplated.  We  can  be  satisfied  with  nothing 
short  of  good  bread  to  eat,  good  water  to  drink, 
good  raiment  to  wear ;  we  want  a  good  prayer 
and  a  good  sermon.  How,  then,  can  we  be  indif- 
ferent in  regard  to  the  music  which  is  to  be  used 
in  the  worship  of  our  Heavenly  Father  ? 

"  God  has  bestowed  on  our  race,  in  addition  to 
the  faculty  of  speech,  the  gift  of  music,  as  a  medium 
of  communion  with  each  other  and  with  Himself ; 
and  has  appointed  it  as  a  means  of  the  sublimest 
exercises  of  devotion,  as  if  with  special  intent  tliat 
the  praises  in  His  Church  on  earth  may  approxi- 
mate as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  spiritual  and  re- 
fined worship  of  the  Church  in  heaven.  Through 
the  influence  of  music,  the  very  senses  become, 
as  it  were,  hand-maidens  of  devotion.  By  the 
harmonious  combination  of  a  few  notes,  with  their 
various  modulations,  the  mind,  through  the  organs 
of  hearing,  and  the  sympathy  of  the  nervous  sys- 
tem, not  only  receives  peculiar  pleasure — some- 


106  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

times  exquisitely  refined  sensations  of  deliglit — 
but  tlie  affections  are  excited  to  the  spiritual  ex- 
ercises of  devotion  and  praise ;  we  are  prepared 
for  the  more  lively  and  ecstatic  enjoyment  of  Di- 
vine communion,  and  are  thus  assisted  in  near 
approaches  to  the  throne  of  grace  : 

"  *  On  eagle-pinions  borne, 

We  scale  the  mount  of  God.' 

"  The  efi'ect  of  discordant  and  unhar- 

monious  sounds,  is  a  sensation  of  uneasiness  and 
distress,  tending  to  prevent,  rather  than  aid,  a 
spirit  of  devotion.   Such  penance  we  have  no  right 

to  inflict  on  those  who  w^orship  with  us  

Music  should  be  cultivated  for  the  purpose  of 
religious  worship,  and  from  a  sense  of  religious 
duty."  ^ 

Dr.  Watts  says :  "  Of  all  our  religious  solemni- 
ties, psalmody  is  the  most  unhappily  managed. 
The  very  action  which  should  elevate  us  to  the 
most  Divine  and  delightful  sensations,  doth  not 
only  flatten  our  devotions,  but  too  often  touch  all 
the  springs  of  uneasiness  within  us." 

God  requires  melody — melody  in  the  heart,  and 
melody,  as  far  as  practicable,  to  the  ear. 

In  order  that  a  congregation  may  bring  its 
hest  ofi'ering  in  song,  there  can  be  no  question  that 
it  needs  the  help  and  lead  of  a  choir.  A  company 
of  well-trained  singers,  having  what  good  singers 
usually  have,  such  a  love  of  music  as  keeps  them 

*  Freeman. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


167 


in  habits  of  constant  vocal  practice,  and  makes 
that  practice  a  pleasure,  have  it  in  their  power  to 
impart  invaluable  assistance  to  the  congregation. 
They  are  able  to  sing  with  confidence.  They  are 
masters  of  the  music  which  they  perform.  Their 
bold,  firm,  spirited  tones  assure  the  timid  of  sup- 
port, and  encourage  all  who  can  sing,  even  mod- 
erately well,  to  put  forth  their  voices  heartily. 
They  may  direct  the  movement  of  the  tunes, 
securing  promptness  and  precision  of  utterance, 
and  preventing  those  dilatory  habits  of  singing  to 
which  congregations  are  always  liable.  Their 
help  in  tunes  that  are  not  very  familiar,  and  in  ' 
learning  new  tunes,  by  which  the  stock  of  musical 
material  in  use  by  the  congregation  may  be  grad- 
ually enlarged,  is  of  great  importance  If 

a  congregation  is  so  fortunate  as  to  enjoy  the  ser- 
vices of  a  choir  of  good  singers,  who  sing,  not  for 
display,  but  for  worship,  and  who  are  willing  to 
assist  the  humblest  worshipers  in  the  sanctuary, 
and  even  children,  in  making  their  praises  vocal, 
the  Church  should  by  all  means,  and  most  thank- 
fully, avail  herself  of  such  assistance."  ^ 

Favored  with  the  lead  of  a  score  of  strong  and 
cultivated  voices,  any  one,  however  destitute  of  a 
knowledge  of  musical  science,  may  unite  in  the 
singing,  first  softly,  and  then  with  greater  assur- 
ance. 

But  some  may  contend  that  the  choir  institution 

*  Furber. 


168 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


is  a  good  one  when  under  suitable  regime^  but  that 
the  difficulties  to  be  overcome  are  so  formidable, 
that  it  had  better  be  dispensed  with  altogether. 
This  view  of  the  case  is  specious,  but,  as  we  ap- 
prehend, incorrect.  We  are  of  opinion  that  this 
branch  of  the  Church  service  may  be  easily 
regulated. 

If  we  proceed  upon  a  wrong  principle,  we  may 
expect  embarrassment.  If  it  is  understood  that 
the  Church  music  is  an  affair  which  does  not 
necessarily  claim  the  attention  of  those  who  direct 
in  ecclesiastical  matters  ;  and  if  a  number  of  per- 
sons, believing  that  there  ought  to  be  a  choir,  vol- 
untarily assume  the  responsibility  of  conducting 
the  singing,  their  motives  may  be  good,  but  evil, 
in  most  cases,  v.  ill  ensue.  Having  been  supreme 
in  the  undertaking,  at  the  beginning,  they  will,  of 
course,  expect  to  have  the  whole  matter  in  their 
owm  hands  ever  afterward.  Hence,  if  disappro- 
bation should  be  expressed  in  regard  to  their 
performances  ;  or,  if  changes  should  be  pro- 
posed, they  are  likely  to  consider  these  sugges- 
tions as  evidence  of  ingratitude  for  services  ren- 
dered ;  and,  in  fact,  as  gratuitous  fault-finding,  or 
impertinent  meddling.  Being  unwilling  to  submit 
to  what  they  look  upon  as  dictation,  they  either 
persist  in  their  own  way,  or  indignantly  abandon 
the  position  which  they  were  never  authorized  to 
occupy. 

Injury  has  now  been  done  to  the  cause  of  Christ, 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


169 


and  who  is  in  fault  ?  We  blame  the  choir  for 
their  obstinacy  and  petulance,  but  we  blame  the 
Church,  also,  for  her  indifference  in  a  matter  of 
vital  importance.  Why  did  she  not  give  this 
movement  a  quietus  in  its  very  inception  ?  IS'ay, 
why  did  not  the  Church  in  that  place,  from  the 
very  day  of  her  organization,  claim  the  prerogative 
of  managing  her  own  affairs  ?  Then  no  one  would 
have  thought  of  invading  her  rights. 

Let  it  be  distinctly  understood,  that  unauthorized 
persons  have  no  more  right  to  control  the  singing 
than  they  have  to  direct  in  prayer  or  preaching. 
Let  the  pastor — the  overseer — aided  by  his  proper 
advisers,  consider  it  his  bounden  duty  to  super- 
vise this  branch  of  the  worship,  and  all  other  de- 
partments of  the  Church-service.  A  thousand 
annoyances  and  evils  will  thus  be  avoided. 

As  was  intimated  in  a  former  chapter,  the  Meth- 
odist Discipline  leaves  the  superintendence  of  the 
singing  with  the  pastor.  Aided  by  those  who  are 
capable  of  giving  advice,  he  can  make  a  judicious 
selection  of  persons  to  compose  the  choir. 

We  quote  a  Canon  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  as  follows :  "  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every 
minister,  ^vith  such  assistance  as  he  can  obtain 
from  persons  skilled  in  music,  to  give  order  con- 
cerning the  tunes  to  be  sung  at  any  time  in  his 
Church ;  and,  especially,  it  shall  be  his  duty  to 
suppress  all  light  and  unseemly  music,  and  all 
indecency  and  irreverence  in  the  performance,  by 


170  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

which  vain  and  ungodly  persons  profane  the  ser- 
vice of  the  sanctuary." 

"All  Church  music,"  says  Richard  Storrs  Willis, 
"  it  is  understood,  is  subservient  to  what  is  assumed 
to  be  the  great  object  of  Chucli-service — worship. 
Now,  the  true  nature  of  worship,  the  general  prin- 
ciples which  underlie  it,  and  the  best  method  of 
successfully  accomplishing  it,  ought  to  be,  and 
doubtless  are,  better  understood  by  the  clergyman 
than  the  musician ;  inasmuch  as  the  one  makes 
this  his  special  study,  and  the  other  makes  music 
his  special  study 

"  The  intellectual  and  defining  part  of  the  mu- 
sical department  in  Churches  belongs,  then,  to  the 
clergyman:  the  practical  and  applying  part  to 
the  artist.  In  other  words,  to  the  clergyman,  as 
the  spiritual  guide  of  the  Church,  it  appertains,  to 
decide  what  musical  arrangement  is  best  for  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  Church  ;  and  to  the  mu- 
sician it  appertains  to  realize  this  arrangement." 

It  is  certainly  the  province  of  the  pastor, 
aided  by  his  official  advisers,  to  decide  as 
to  the  expediency  of  a  choir ;  and,  if  there  is  to 
be  one,  to  designate  its  position  in  the  church ; 
the  persons  or  class  of  persons  of  whom  it 
is  to  be  composed ;  and  the  character  of  the 
tunes  to  be  sung.  In  the  same  way,  the  question 
as  to  the  introduction  of  instrumental  music  may 
be  decided.  The  choir  must  be  regarded,  from 
first  to  last,  as  the  creature  of  the  Church,  and 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


171 


subject  to  her  authority.  This  authority  should 
never  allow  itself  to  be  contravened,  and  should 
never  be  delegated  to  music  committees,  nor  to 
any  individual  or  association  v/hatever. 

This  oversight,  while  it  will  make  the  choir  effi- 
cient and  guard  it  from  deterioration,  will  by  no 
means  diminish  that  confidence,  buoyancy,  and 
freedom  which  should  ever  characterize  those  who 
delight  in  sacred  song.  On  the  contrary,  no  em- 
barrassing restrictions  being  imposed,  and  the  pe- 
culiar province  of  the  singers  being  clearly  defined, 
they  will  feel  a  degree  of  assurance  and  happiness 
which  the}^  could  not  otherwise  experience.  Merely 
leaders  of  the  psalmody,  they  will  be  sustained 
and  gladdened  by  the  symphony  of  many  voices, 
and  the  animated  spirits  of  the  multitude  will  be 
wafted  to  the  skies  upon  the  thrilling  notes  of  the 
temple  hymn. 

Here,  then,  is  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  mat- 
ter in  respect  to  the  choir :  whenever  it  assumes 
to  occupy  an  independent  position,  or  to  monopo- 
lize its  department  of  worship,  it  is  an  intolerable 
evil ;  but  it  may  be  easily  preserved  from  all 
abuses,  in  which  case  it  is  greatly  promotive  of 
good  congregational  singing,  and  is,  consequently, 
an  inestimable  blessing  to  the  Church  and  to  the 
world. 


172 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


CHAPTER  II. 

MELODY    AND  HARMONY. 

Definition  —  Origin  of  Counterpoint  —  Harmonizing  in  Germany  — 
Mr.  Weber's  first  Objection  to  Harmony  —  His  second,  third, 
and  fourth  Objections — The  Power  of  Harmony  a  Divine  Gift  — 
Treble  should  Predominate  —  Female  Voices  —  Male  Voices  — 
Variety  of  Voice  —  The  Music  of  the  Spheres  —  Harmony  in  the 
Universe  —  Distinguished  Advocates  of  Harmony. 

Should  we  confine  ourselves  to  the  melody,  or 
leading  part  of  the  music?  Melody  is  one  single 
strain  of  successive  musical  tones  —  a  tune 
having  but  one  part  without  any  accompaniment. 
Harmony  is  the  combination  of  two  or  more  such 
strains.  Hence,  an  air  or  melody  is  said  to  be 
harmonized  when  one,  two,  or  three  parts  are 
connected  with  it.  We  sing  in  harmony  when  the 
bass,  tenor,  or  alto  is  sung  in  combination  with 
the  air,  or  leading  part,  or  when  all  these  are  sung 
together. 

Melody  must  have  preceded  harmony,  as,  in 
numbers,  one  precedes  two.  The  parent  must 
exist  prior  to  the  offspring.  Still,  it  is  supposed, 
with  good  reason,  that  harmony  was  known  and 
practiced  by  the  ancients,  both  Jews  and  heathen. 
In  the  olden  time  great  importance  was  attached  to 
musical  culture,  and  much  attention  was  given  to 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


173 


singing  and  playing  on  instruments.  It  would, 
therefore,  seem  probable  that  by  accident,  if  not 
by  design,  musicians  would  occasionally  strike 
opposite  notes  at  the  distance  of  an  octave,  a  third, 
or  a  fifth  from  each  other,  and  that  the  agreeable 
effect  having  been  discovered,  efforts  would  be 
made  to  make  the  pleasing  concord  extend  from 
one  note  to  all  the  notes  constituting  a  tune.  This, 
however,  is  mere  conjecture;  there  is  no  positive 
evidence  either  for  or  against  the  hypothesis. 

Franco  is  the  first  on  record  who  entertained 
the  idea  of  counterpoint.  "Musical  notation," 
says  a  writer  in  the  London  Encyclopedia,  "  was 
at  one  time  performed  by  small  points ;  and  the 
present  mode  is  only  an  improvement  on  that 
practice.  Counterpoint — contra punctum — there- 
fore, denotes  the  notation  of  harmony,  or  music 
in  parts,  by  points  opposite  to  each  other." 

The  singing  at  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation  in 
Germany  was  confined  to  the  melody  alone ;  but 
about  the  year  1563,  many  of  the  plain  tunes  were 
harmonized  by  competent  composers.  This  style 
of  composition  was  by  no  means  designed  to  take 
the  place  of  the  usual  mode  of  singing.  It  was 
intended  to  give  variety  to  the  music,  while  all  who 
desired  to  do  so  were  at  liberty  to  sing  the  air  as 
lustily  as  they  pleased. 

We  are  not  disposed  to  take  extreme  ground 
in  favor  of  harmony.  It  is  certainly  appropriate 
in  amateur  singing,  whether  in  the  social  circle  or 


174 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


at  the  public  concert ;  but  when  considered  with 
reference  to  a  worshiping  assembly,  it  must  be 
subjected  to  some  limitations.  It  is  desirable  that 
congregational  singing  should  be  strong;  there- 
fore, when  there  are  but  few  present,  it  may  be 
well  to  concentrate  the  forces  upon  the  melody. 

If  it  be  contended  that  the  aggregate  of  strength 
is  the  same,  whether  we  sing  in  unison  or  in 
parts,  the  reply  is  that  the  air  being  the  leading 
part,  it  must  march  along  with  bold  and  vigorous 
step  ;  weakness  here  is  failure. 

But,  ordinarily,  congregations  convened  for  pub- 
lic worship  are  large,  and,  when  this  is  the  case, 
harmony  may  often  be  employed  to  great  advan- 
tage. We  are  aware,  however,  that  some  enter- 
tain a  different  opinion.  Among  these  is  Mr. 
Henry  Weber,  who  formerly  held  the  position  of 
Government  Teacher  of  Music  in  Germany.  In 
the  Home  Circle^  he  gives  four  reasons  in  favor  of 
melodj^  to  the  exclusion  of  harmony,  or  singing 
in  parts.  Mr.  Weber  being  an  eminent  musician, 
we  may  safely  conclude  that  he  has  given  us,  in 
these  four  items,  the  strength  of  the  opposition  to 
harmony  in  congregational  singing.    He  says : 

"  The  melody  is  the  only  part  which  gives  the 
exact  expression  to  the  words,  and  we  can  not  see 
why  a  portion  of  the  congregation  should  be  de- 
prived of  the  privilege  of  singing  that  strain." 

We  may  venture  to  inquire  if  our  author  has 
premised  correctly.    Is  the  position  incontrovert- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


175 


ible  that  tlie  melody  is  tlie  only  part  which  gives 
the  exact  expression  to  the  words?"  A  good 
singer  will  articulate  no  less  distinctly  when  he 
sings  the  subordinate  parts  than  when  he  sings 
the  air.  It  is  not  only  possible,  but  it  is  a  neces- 
sity in  good  music  that,  in  all  the  parts,  every  syl- 
lable be  uttered  clearly.  If,  then,  every  sound  in 
every  word  is  brought  out  with  precision,  how  can 
it  be  said  that  exact  expression  is  not  given  to  the 
poetry  ? 

But  it  maybe  said  that  expression  includes  also 
that  peculiar  pitch  and  modulation  of  voice  w^hich 
give  point  and  power  to  the  sentiments  expressed. 

Suppose,  then,  that  we  sing  the  hymns  commenc- 
ing, 

"  Father,  I  stretch  my  hands  to  Thee," 
"  O,  for  a  closer  walk  with  God," 

or  any  other  words  of  a  sad  or  pathetic  cast,  may 
not  the  solemn  bass,  or  the  pensive,  aerial  warbling 
of  the  alto,  be  better  adapted  to  give  expression 
to  the  hymn  than  even  the  melody  itself? 

We  are  speaking  now,  however,  noi  of  a  solo, 
but  of  congregational  singing ;  and  we  must  not 
single  out  one  part  or  one  voice :  we  must  take  all 
the  parts  and  all  the  voices  in  the  aggregate. 
Listen  to  the  following  words  set  to  the  tune 
called  Boylston : 

"  The  pity  of  the  Lord, 

To  those  that  fear  His  name, 
Is  such  as  tender  parents  feel ; 
He  knows  our  feeble  frame." 


176 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


Again,  hear  the  congregation  as  they  sing, 

'*  Forever  here  my  rest  shall  be, 
Close  to  Thy  bleeding  side ; 
This  all  my  hope,  and  all  my  plea. 
For  me  the  Savior  died," 

set  to  Mear.  How  could  we  in  either  case  cut  off 
the  delightful  accompaniments  which  have  long 
been  wedded  to  the  leading  part,  and  send  it  along 
through  the  staff  bare  and  lonely?  In  Boylston^  the 
power  and  beauty  of  the  tune  reside  in  the  bass,  and 
the  tenor  constitutes  the  chief  strength  and  glory 
of  Mear.  They  are  both  tolerable  tunes  when 
the  melody  alone  is  sung ;  but  when  sung  with  the 
parts,  they  give,  as  we  conceive,  "the  exact  ex- 
pression to  the  words  "  with  much  greater  felicity. 
And  so  we  would  say  of  most  of  the  tunes  used 
in  large  worshiping  assemblies. 

To  say  the  least,  there  need  be  no  deprivation 
in  any  case  whatever ;  all  should  be  left  free  to 
sing  the  air,  or  one  of  the  harmonies  attached  to 
it,  and  no  one  should  be  subjected  to  embarrass- 
ment in  order  that  the  parts  may  be  sustained. 

Mr.  "Weber's  second  reason  in  fa^vor  of  unison- 
ous singing  is  as  follows : 

"  It  would  seriously  affect  tne  religious  medita- 
tion of  the  singers  to  be  constantly  on  the  guard 
to  sing  correctly  parts  differing  from  the  melody : 
although  they  might  succeed  in  making  an  im- 
pression on  the  listeners,  yet  they  would  not  be 
benefited  themselves." 


THE  SKKVICE  OF  SONG. 


177 


Does  tliis  statement  accord  with  tlie  experience 
of  those  who  have  been  engaged  in  carrying  the 
parts  in  congregational  singing  ?  Have  they  of 
necessity  been  so  constantly  on  the  guard  to  sing 
correctly  as  seriously  to  affect  their  religious  medi- 
tations ?  This  might  be  a  consequence  of  the  too 
frequent  introduction  and  use  of  new  tunes ;  but 
this  is  what  we  deprecate  as  affecting  injuriously, 
not  only  those  who  sing  the  parts,  but  also  those 
who  sing,  or  ought  to  sing,  the  air.  We  have  no 
right  to  devote  the  precious  moments  allotted  to 
Divine  worship  merely  to  the  acquisition  of  mu- 
sical knowledge. 

It  will  be  conceded,  as  a  general  rule,  that  those 
who  sing  the  accompanying  parts  are  able  to  read 
music  with  ordinary  facility.  One  who  can  do 
this  will  easily  master  his  part,  in  a  plain  tune,  in 
the  space  of  a  half  hour ;  and,  with  a  little  prac- 
tice, it  will  become  as  familiar  to  him  as  the  let- 
ters of  the  alphabet.  It  is  understood,  too,  that 
each  part  has  its  appropriate  leader,  who  has 
sufficient  skill  to  commence  the  tune  on  the  proper 
key.  If,  then,  the  singer  knows  his  part  perfectly, 
and  if  there  is  some  one  to  give  him  the  proper 
sound  and  conduct  him  along  through  the  notes, 
why  may  he  not  join  and  sing  the  bass,  the 
tenor,  or  the  alto,  with  as  great  ease  and  spiritu- 
ality as  if  he  confined  himself  to  the  melody? 
Might  it  not  be  expected  that  he  who  sings  the 
leading  part  would  feel  greater  solicitude  for  the 


178 


THE  SKKVICE  OF  SONG. 


correctness  of  his  performance  tlian  would  be 
felt  by  him  who  simply  goes' along  in  company? 
If  those  wlio  sing  the  air  deviate  from  the  right 
line,  they  lead  the  whole  congregation  astray; 
while  a  mis-step  in  any  of  the  parts  could  only 
produce  momentary  discord.  If  those  who  sus- 
tain the  leading  part  should,  on  any  account, 
make  an  untimel}'  pause,  a  formidable  chasm  in 
the  music  is  the  inevitable  consequence ;  but  those 
who  espouse  the  subordinate  parts  may  be  silent 
at  any  time  without  seriously  marring  the  general 
effect  of  the  singing.  We  are  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  any  one  of  the  accompanying  parts 
is  more  easily  learned  than  the  melody,  because 
there  are  so  few  intervals  between  the  notes.  It 
is  vastly  easier  for  the  voice  to  pass  over  a  small 
space  than  from  a  very  low  note  to  a  very  high 
one,  or  mce  mrsa.  We  should,  at  all  events,  be 
so  thorough  in  the  part  which  we  have  chosen  as 
to  preclude  the  fear  of  failure. 

We  consider  our  author's  third  reason :  "  The 
regularity  of  singing  in  parts  would  be  too  often 
disturbed  by  the  accidental  absence  of  some  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation,  as  sufficiently  shown  by 
the  choir  system." 

There  is  nothing  more  susceptible  of  adaptation 
than  melody  and  harmony.  As  we  have  intimated, 
we  do  not  think  it  desirable  that  we  should  always 
essay  to  conduct  all  the  parts.  If  circumstances 
seem  to  require  it,  let  all  sing  in  unison.    If  those 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


179 


who  are  accustomed  to  lead  in  any  given  part  be 
absent,  let  that  part  be  omitted;  and,  if  only  one 
part  besides  the  air  can  be  advantageously  sung, 
so  let  it  be.  In  this  way  the  irregularity  might 
be  made  to  conduce  to  a  pleasing  variety.  Gen- 
erally, however,  the  assembling  of  the  customary 
congregation  will  insure  the  presence  of  most  of 
those  who  lead  in  the  singing. 

Mr.  Weber  closes  by  saying :  The  singing  of 
one  strain  in  unison  by  a  large  congregation  is. 
more  grand  and  impressive  than  singing  in  parts, 
while  singing  in  parts  by  a  small  assembly  tends 
only  to  weaken  the  effect." 

Congregational  singing  should  certainly  be  char- 
acterized by  grandeur  and  impressiveness  ;  but  is 
it  absolutely  certain  that  these  are  peculiarly  the 
attributes  of  unisonous  singing  ?  Melody  is  the 
gift  of  God :  He  has  conferred  upon  us  both  the 
ear  and  the  voice,  thus  enabling  us  to  make  and 
appreciate  pleasing  sounds.  Harmony  is  likewise 
the  gift  of  God :  He  has  so  arranged  the  laws  of 
sound  that  two  or  more  notes  at  certain  intervals 
from  each  other  on  the  staff,  when  struck  simulta- 
neously, produce  a  delightful  concord.  Music  was 
especially  designed  to  be  used  in  Divine  worship. 
Now,  if  God  has  given  us  melody  to  be  used  in 
His  praise,  and  if  melody  is  the  most  simple  and 
most  easily  acquired  style  of  music ;  and  if,  for 
devotional  purposes,  it  is  altogether  superior  to 
harmony,  is  it  not  strange  that  the  power  of  pro- 


180 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOI^G. 


ducing  liarmonious  sounds  should  ever  have  been 
conferred  upon  us  ?  Melody  is  to  a  congregation 
of  worshipers  the  first  gift:  they  must  sing  in 
unison  before  they  can  sing  in  parts.  Harmony 
is  a  subsequent  gift :  by  study  and  practice  the 
people  may  acquire  the  ability  to  sing  several 
parts  together  with  precision  and  ease.  Now,  if 
this  latter  gift  be  inferior  to  the  former,  why  was  it 
ever  bestowed?  The  Omniscient  Creator  does 
nothing  that  is  superfluous,  and  He  generally 
leads  us  on  from  the  less  to  the  greater — from  that 
which  is  excellent  to  that  which  is  more  excellent. 
Hence,  we  have  first  the  light  of  the  morning  star, 
then  the  day -dawn,  and  then  the  sun  shining  in 
his  strength.  We  are  first  babes  in  Christ,  and 
in  Him  we  are  to  "  grow  up."  Is  it  not  unseemly 
and  unnatural  to  put  that  which  is  inferior  after 
that  which  is  more  excellent  ?  But  this,  we  must 
admit,  has  been  done  by  the  Creator  Himself,  if  we 
contend  that,  in  congregational  worship,  melody 
is  necessarily,  and  at  all  times,  superior  to  har- 
mony. 

"We  are  fully  of  opinion  that  the  air  should 
always  predominate :  it  is  the  king,  the  other 
parts  are  the  subjects  :  it  is  the  main  stream,  they 
are  the  tributaries.  The  melody  should  be  suffi- 
ciently pre-eminent  to  be  heard  distinctly  in  every 
part  of  the  house  above  the  strains  which  har- 
monize with  it:  it  should  be  sounded  out,  not 
roughly  or  vociferously,  but  with  great  strength 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


181 


and  fervor,  extending,  as  it  were,  a  kindly  and 
continuous  invitation  to  all  present  to  participate. 

Therefore,  let  as  many  as  choose  to  do  so,  both 
male  and  female,  concentrate  their  voices  upon 
the  leading  part.  "We  have  never  been  able  to 
see  why  it  should  be  given  exclusively  to  females. 
They  were  from  the  first,  designed  to  be  "help- 
meets." The  strength  of  the  female  voice  has 
been  urged  as  a  reason  for  this  arrangement ;  but 
we  are  of  opinion  that,  in  leading  the  service  of 
song,  the  commanding  power  of  male  voices  should 
be  preferred  to  feminine  softness  or  shrillness.  The 
blending  of  the  two  is  certainly  most  desirable.  It 
is  generally  conceded  that,  on  account  of  its  pecu- 
liar sharpness,  the  female  voice  is  not  well  adapted 
to  tenor  singing,  but  this  is  not  a  sufficient  reason 
for  granting  it  a  monopoly  of  the  air  or  melody. 
The  finer  sex  may  well  employ  their  voices  upon 
it  and  the  alto,  and  the  males  may  sing  the  air, 
the  bass,  or  the  tenor. 

A  professor  in  a  Southern  college  says:  "In 
the  congregation,  it  is  the  male  voices  that  give 
body  and  force  to  the  tide  of  sound.  Deprived  of 
these,  no  matter  how  sweetly  the  women  may  sing, 
there  is  no  power  exerted  over  the  multitude.  In 
the  full  chorus  of  the  camp-meeting  or  in  meet- 
ings of  the  colored  people,  it  is  the  hearty  men's 
voices,  sustaining  the  higher  voices  of  the  females, 
that  give  the  singing  its  peculiar  and  oft-acknowl- 
edged charm." 


182 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


The  foregoing  views  may  be  embraced,  of  course, 
without  the  slightest  depreciation  of  the  import- 
ance and  excellency  of  female  voices.  The  only 
question  is  as  to  which  sex  should  lead  in  the 
singing. 

"  A  choir  of  twenty  or  thirty  singers  concentrat- 
ing their  vocal  energies  mainly  upon  the  melody, 
and  singing  with  clear,  distinct  articulation,  with 
bold,  commanding  tone,  and  with  firm,  steady, 
unvarying  movement,  may  set  before  the  congre- 
gation such  a  plain  and  inviting  path  of  song,  and 
may  inspire  with  such  confidence  all  who  have 
the  ability  to  sing,  that  the  result  will  be  a  success- 
ful, and  even  admirable  illustration  of  the  people's 
chorus.  A  hundred  little  rivulets,  no  one  of  which 
could  find  its  way  to  the  sea  alone,  may  join  the 
river  that  passes  near  them,  and  be  wafted  safely 
to  the  ocean ;  but  the  stream  that  conveys  them 
owes  much  of  its  grandeur  to  these  little  tributa- 
ries. In  the  production  of  this  great,  melodic 
chorus,  a  strong  lead  of  men's  voices  upon  the 
air  is  indispensable.  Men's  voices  are  valuable 
for  dignity  and  impressiveness  ;  but  in  the  chorus 
of  which  we  speak,  their  chief  value  is  their 
strength."  ^ 

With  the  vocal  power  concentrated  mainly  upon 
the  leading  part,  no  untrained  singer  need  be  led 
astray  by  the  sound  of  the  other  parts. 

*  Furber. 


THE  SKUVICE  OF  SONG. 


183 


The  variety  of  voice  which  obtains  in  all  con- 
gregations is  v7orthy  of  consideration.  Many  per- 
sons can  sing  easily  upon  a  low  key  who  find  it 
almost  impossible  to  raise  their  voices  to  a  high 
pitch.  These  voices,  when  applied  to  the  tenor  or 
soprano,  are  harsh  and  unmanageable,  but  they 
are,  in  many  cases,  admirably  adapted  to  the  bass. 
Other  voices  which  approach  almost  to  a  falsetto, 
and  are  utterly  incapable  of  deep  bass  tones,  may, 
nevertheless,  do  good  service  upon  the  melody. 
Hence,  singing  in  parts,  when  it  is  properly  done, 
so  far  from  discouraging  the  masses  from  uniting 
in  the  service,  gives  a  refreshing  variety  to  the 
exercise,  imparting  force  and  vivacity  to  old  as 
well  as  to  new  tunes,  and  gracefully  accommo- 
dating itself  to  the  peculiarities  of  all. 

"  To  banish  harmony  from  our  congregational 
worship,  would  be  to  stifle  a  large  and  valuable 
portion  of  the  human  voice.  Many  a  deep,  rich, 
mellow  voice,  that  rolls  its  majestic  swell  through 
our  churches  and  chapels,  on  which  the  upper 
strains  float,  and  with  which  they  mingle  like  the 
ripples  and  spray  of  the  ocean  when  its  bosom  is 
animated  with  a  sunny  breeze,  must  be  coerced  into 
silence  and  rest ;  or,  if  bass  voices  must  sing  the 
air  in  unison,  it  will  be  a  laborious  effort,  like  tear- 
ing up  the  organization ;  and,  generally,  when  per- 
formed, will  only  add  noise  in  the  place  of  music. 
Surely  our  Creator,  in  making  the  human  organs 
capable  of  such  a  variety  and  compass  of  intona- 


184 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


tion,  could  not  but  intend  tliem  to  be  used  for  His 
praise  and  the  delight  of  His  creatures ;  but  this  can 
not  be  done,  save  on  the  principle  of  harmony."  * 
The  music  of  the  spheres  was  a  cherished  idea 
with  the  ancients.  Pythagoras,  speaking  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  says :  "  Their  movements  are  in 
liarmony^  and  highly  melodious,  but  impossible 
to  be  heard  by  human  ears." 

Dryden  amplifies  the  idea,  representing  the 
atoms  of  which  the  world  is  made  as  marching, 
each  particle  to  its  place,  to  the  music  of  the 
"  morning  stars."    He  says  : 

**  From  harmony,  from  heavenly  harmony, 

This  universal  frame  began. 
When  nature  underneath  a  heap  of  jarring  atoms  lay, 

And  could  not  heave  her  head. 
The  tuneful  strain  was  heard  from  high, 

Arise  ye  more  than  dead. 

Then  cold  and  hot,  and  moist  and  dry. 

In  order  to  their  station  leab. 
And  music's  power  obey." 

In  Addison's  well-known  paraphrase  of  the  nine- 
teenth psalm,  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  repre- 
sented as  singing  harmoniously  their  Creator's 
praise  as  they  pursue  their  ceaseless  and  sublime 
march  through  the  heavens. 

This  is  poetry,  but  it  is  the  poetry  of  truth ;  it  is 
based  upon  the  great  fact  that  God  is  the  Creator 
and  Upholder  of  all  things.    Why,  then,  should 

*  Hirst. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


185 


Tve  reject  harmony  when  we  worship  the  God  of 
harmony  ? 

There  is  surely  nothing  on  earth  superior  to 
it  for  grandeur  and  impressiveness.  On  the 
holy  Sabbath,  take  your  place  in  the  house  of  God 
with  the  hundreds  or  thousands  there  assembled, 
most  of  whom  sing  correctly  and  spiritedly.  Unite 
with  them  as  they  concentrate  their  voices  upon 
one  of  those  grand  old  Church  tunes  which  have 
come  down  to  us  from  a  former  age.  Throughout 
the  whole,  the  melody  is  made  to  predominate ;  but 
the  rich,  mellow  bass,  the  smooth,  pathetic  alto, 
and  the  sublime  tenor,  all  mingle  their  accordant 
notes  with  the  air;  and,  upon  the  broad  bosom 
of  this  deep,  majestic,  rolling  river  of  song,  the 
spirit  is  borne  onward  toward  the  anthems  and 
raptures  of  eternity.  There  is  here  everything 
that  can  be  thought  of  as  constituting  good  music : 
there  is  sufficient  strength  or  loudness ;  there  is  a 
charming  variety ;  there  is  softness  and  sweetness 
of  tone ;  and  the  harmonious  blending  of  so  many 
different  voices,  and  the  flowing  together  of  the 
several  parts,  is  a  most  beautiful  type  of  that 
lovely  union  of  spirit  with  spirit  which  character- 
izes the  children  of  "our  Father,"  whether  on 
earth  or  in  heaven. 

We  now  gladly  record  the  names  of  Martin 
Luther,  John  Wesley,  and  Charles  Wesley,  as  the 
advocates  of  harmonious  congregational  singing, 
or  singing  in  parts ;  and  to  the  list  might  be  added 


186 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


Lowell  Mason,  Thomas  Hastings,  and,  as  we  verily 
believe,  nine-tentlis  of  the  pious  and  judicious 
champions  in  the  cause  of  sacred  music  now  living. 
During  our  earthly  sojourn,  let  us  sing,  not  only 
melodiously,  but  also  harmoniously,  and  at  the 
close  of  our  pilgrimage,  may  our  ears  be  greeted 
with  the 

**  Sound 

Symphonious  of  ten  thousand  harps  that  tune  Angelic  harmoniesJ*^ 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


187 


CHAPTEK  III. 

FUGUE    TUNES  AND  ANT  II  EMS. 

Definition  —  Origin  —  Eillings  introduced  Fugue  Tunes  into  American 
Churches  —  Objection  to  this  siyle  of  Music  —  John  Wesley  on 
Intricate  and  Undevout  Singing — Description  by  Rector  of  St. 
Bardolph's  —  General  Conference  of  1792  —  Plain  Tunes  —  Dr. 
A.  Clarke's  Objection  —  What  has  been  said  in  favor  of  An- 
thems—  To  what  extent  they  should  be  used  —  Vain  Repetitions. 

A  fague  tune  is  a  composition  in  wliich  the 
different  parts  follow  each  other,  each  repeating 
the  snbject  at  a  certain  interval  above  or  below 
the  preceding  i^art. 

It  is  supposed  that  this  style  of  music  was  intro- 
duced into  the  Church,  in  Pagan  lands,  in  the 
early  ages  of  her  history.  The  converted  heathen 
would  naturally  transfer  tlie  music  to  which  they 
had  been  accustomed  from  secular  to  sacred 
poetry,  to  be  used  in  Divine  worship.  It  is  not 
unlikely  that  many  of  those  compositions  which 
had  been  used  in  the  worship  of  idols  in  Greece 
and  Kome  were  thus  devoted  to  the  praise  of 
the  living  and  true  God.  But  this  supposition  is 
not  conclusive  against  the  use  of  fugue  tunes  in 
the  Church.  There  is  no  sin  in  mere  sound ;  and 
as  for  the  association  of  these  pieces  with  the 
worship  of  heathen  deities,  it  certainly  can  have 
no  effect  upon  us. 


188 


THE  SEPkYICE  of  SOXG-. 


Fugue  tunes  were  imported  from  England  to 
this  country,  and  were  brought  into  use  in  the 
American  Churches  by  William  Billings.  Fugu- 
ing  music  in  Divine  worship  has  been  objected  to 
on  the  ground  that  it  is  too  complex  and  difficult 
for  the  masses.  Besides,  it  necessarily  excludes 
a  portion  of  the  congregation  from  the  singing  in 
certain  parts  of  the  tune.  The  former  is  surely  a 
valid  objection:  everything  that  is  intricate  or 
very  elaborate  should  be  discarded,  opposed  as  it 
is  to  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  Even  children 
and  servants  should  be  encouraged  to  participate 
in  every  part  of  the  worship.  Hence,  the  tunes 
used  should  be  plain,  strong,  and  easy  to  be  sung. 
Light  and  flighty  music  should  also  be  rejected, 
as  it  is  calculated  to  repress  rather  than  stimulate 
devotional  feeling. 

Much  depends,  however,  upon  the  time,  the 
place,  and  the  occasion.  Some,  thinking,  as  it 
would  seem,  only  of  solemnity  as  befitting  the 
Lord's  house,  would  confine  us  to  those  slow, 
stately  tunes  which  are  hallowed  by  ancestral 
associations.  Others,  taking  it  for  granted  that 
the  sole  object  of  Church  music  is  to  please  the 
ear,  and  that  vivacity  in  singing  is  its  chief  excel- 
lence, are  incessantly  demanding  those  stirring 
modern  pieces  which  were  originally  associated 
with  worldly  amusements,  having  but  lately  been 
elevated  to  their  present  position  in  the  Church. 

The  proper  course  lies  between  these  two  ex- 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


189 


tremes.  A  due  admixture  of  the  grave  witli  tlie 
more  lively  pieces  is  certainly  desirable.  As  it 
regards  the  use  of  the  latter  style  of  music,  we 
think  considerable  latitude  should  be  allowed. 
While  tunes  of  a  frivolous,  or  extremely  volatile 
character  should  be  promptly  rejected  as  utterly 
■unfit  for  devotional  purposes  ;  yet  at  camp-meet- 
ings, experience  meetings,  prayer  meetings,  and 
during  revivals,  tunes  of  a  soul-stirring  character 
are  especially  needed. 

Fugue  tunes  are  generally  too  fanciful  for  either 
public  or  social  worship.  They  have  also  been 
objected  to  on  the  ground  that  they  often  occasion 
"  vain  repetitions,"  frequently  destroying  the  sense 
of  the  words  to  which  they  are  sung.  Unimport- 
ant words  are  frequently  made  prominent,  remind- 
ing us  of  a  beggar  invested  with  the  honors  of 
royalty. 

Speaking  of  intricate  and  undevout  singing, 
John  Wesley  said  to  his  brethren  many  years  ago : 
"  Is  not  this  formality  creeping  in  already  by  those 
complex  tunes  which  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  sing 
with  devotion  ?  such  as  the  long,  quaver- 
ing hallelujah  annexed  to  the  morning  song  tune, 
which  I  defy  any  man  living  to  sing  devoutly. 

"  The  repeating  of  the  same  words  so  often  (but 
especially  while  another  repeats  different  words, 
the  horrid  abuse  which  runs  through  the  modern 
Church  music),  as  it  shocks  all  common  sense,  so 
it  necessarily  brings  in  dead  formalit}^,  and  has 


190 


tup:  servic?:  of  soxg. 


no  more  of  i-eligioii  in  it  than  a  Lancashire  horn- 
pipe. Besides,  it  is  a  thit  contradiction  of  our 
Lord's  command — *  Use  not  vain  repetitions.'  For 
Avliat  is  vain  repetition  if  this  is  not?  AYhat  end 
of  devotion  does  it  serve?" 

How  would  lie  have  relished  the  singing  of  the 
following  stanza  as  described  by  the  Rector  of  St. 
Bardolpli's  ?    Hov/  could  any  Christian  tolerate  it? 

*'  *  True  love  is  like  that  precious  oil, 
Which,  pour'd  on  Aaron's  head. 
Ran  down  his  beard,  and  o'er  his  robes 
Its  costly  moisture  shed.' 

"  In  the  prodigious  effort  of  this  performance, 
the  ear- splitting  combination  of  the  several  voices 
hardly  bore  a  resemblance  to  that  oily  current 
poured  on  Aaron's  head,  and  which 

"  *  Ran  down  his  beard,  and  o'er  his  head — 

Ran  down  his  beard  

 his  robes 

And  o'er  his  robes  

Ran  down  his  beard  ran  down  his 

 o'er  his  robes.  

His  robes,  his  robes,  ran  down  his  beard — 

Ran  down  his  

 o'er  his  robes. 

Ran  down  his  beard  

 h-i-s  b-e-a-r-d  

Its  costly  moist  

Ran  down  his  beard  

— ure — beard — his — beard — his — shed 
Ran  down  his  beard — his — down 
His  robes — its  costly  moist — his  beard 
— ure  shed — his  cost — his  robes — ure  shed 
Its  c-o-s-t-l-y  mois-ture  shed! ' 


TKE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


191 


"  The  late  Bishop  Seabuiy,  being  asked  his 
opinion  of  this  performance,  replied  that  he  had 
paid  no  attention  to  the  music,  but  that  his  sym- 
pathies were  so  much  excited  for  poor  Aaron  that 
he  was  afraid  he  would  not  have  a  hair  left  on  his 
head." 

In  the  year  1792,  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  inserted  in  the  Disci- 
pline the  following  recommendation  and  explana- 
tory note :  "  The  preachers  are  desired  not  to  en- 
courage the  singing  of  fugue  tunes  in  our  congre- 
f?ations. 

"  We  do  not  think  that  fugue  tunes  are  sinful, 
or  improper  to  be  used  in  private  companies ;  but 
we  do  not  approve  of  their  being  used  in  our  pub- 
lic congregations,  because  public  singing  is  a  part 
of  Divine  worship  in  which  the  whole  congrega- 
tion ought  to  join." 

Although  these  words  have  since  disappeared 
from  the  Discipline,  the  view  which  they  express 
still  prevails  in  most  places. 

In  the  Notes  appended  to  the  Discipline  in  the 
year  1793,  by  Bishops  Coke  and  Asbury,  the  im- 
portance of  congregational  singing  is  forcibly 
urged,  and  in  the  same  connection  it  is  added : 

From  these  remarks  we  surely  must  be  sensible 
of  the  necessity  of  confining  ourselves  to  simple 
tunes,  as  the  fugue  tunes  have  an  unavoidable 
tendency  to  conhne  to  a  few  this  part  of  Divine 
worship,  which  belongs  to  the  whole.    And  those. 


192 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


we  think,  liave  made  few  remarks  on  public  wor- 
ship, who  have  not  observed,  on  the  one  hand, 
how  naturally  the  fugue  tunes  puff  up  with  vanity 
those  who  excel  in  them ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
how  it  deadens  devotion,  and  onl}^  at  the  best 
raises  an  admiration  of  the  singers,  and  not  of 
Christ." 

The  rule  laid  down  for  Church  music  in  England, 
nearly  a  thousand  years  ago,  was  Slmplicem  sanc- 
tamque  melodiam^  secundum  morem  ecclesice,  sec- 
tentuT.  That  is — "  Let  them  observe  a  simple  and 
sacred  melody,  after  the  manner  of  the  Church." 

Queen  Elizabeth,  in  her  injunctions  respecting 
public  worship,  says  that  she  "  willeth  that  there 
be  a  modest  and  distinct  song  used  in  all  parts  of 
the  Common  Prayer  in  the  Church,  that  the  same 
may  be  understanded  as  if  it  were  read,  without 
singing." 

The  judicious  Hooker  says  :  "  In  Church  music, 
curiosity  and  ostentation  of  art,  wanton  or  light 
and  unsuitable  harmony,  such  as  only  pleaseth 

the  ear,  ....  should  be  rejected  On 

the  other  hand,  when  it  fitly  suiteth  well,  the  mat- 
ter altogether  sounding  the  praise  of  God,  it  is  in 
truth  most  admirable,  and  doth  much  edify.  .  .  . 
They  must  have  hearts  very  dry  and  tough,  from 
whom  the  melody  of  the  psalms  doth  not  sometime 
draw  that  wherein  a  mind  religiously  affected 
delighteth." 

"  Church  music,"  says  Archbishop  Parker,  who 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOX'G. 


193 


lived  in  tlie  sixteenth  century,  "  was  designed  to 
be  congregational,  and  so  plain,  simple  and  grave 
in  its  melody,  that  all  the  people  might  sing,  as 
well  with  the  understanding  as  the  spirit.  It  has 
been  reserved  for  modern  days  to  substitute  the 
changing  variety  of  airs  and  measures  for  the  plain, 
yet  rich  and  majestic  psalmody  of  the  Apostolic 
age ;  and  by  the  translation  of  the  lighter  airs  of 
the  parlor  to  public  worship,  to  carry  one,  by  the 
irresistible  laws  of  association,  to  secular  scenes 
and  thoughts." 

"Music  for  the  worship  of  Jehovah,"  says  Mr. 
Freeman,  "  should  be  simple,  easy  and  solemn. 
Repetitions  should  be  sparingly  used  in  public 
worship,  and  never  without  evident  propriety." 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  objected  to  "  the  gingling,  and 
often  foolish  sounds  which  we  use  when  a  single 
monosyllable  is  shivered  into  thirty-six  demi-semi- 
quavers." 

The  right  of  Anthems  to  a  place  in  the  Church 
service  has  been  seriously  questioned  by  some, 
and  by  others  their  use  has  been  strenuously  op- 
posed, mainly  on  the  ground  that  they  are  so 
utterly  unsuited  to  devotional  exercises,  that  the 
congregation  does  not  even  profess  to  unite  with 
the  choir  in  singing  them. 

The  anthem  is  a  tune  set  to  words  taken  from 
the  Psalms,  or  other  parts  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
13 


194 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


was  first  introduced  into  the  English  Church  ser- 
vice in  Elizabeth's  reign. 

It  is  contended  in  favor  of  anthems  that  they 
give  expression  to  the  words  more  fully  and 
forcibly  than  plain  tunes.  In  anthem  music,  the 
tune  is  especially  adapted  and  permanently 
wedded  to  the  words,  it  being  the  object  of  the 
composer  to  secure,  not  only  a  general  correspond- 
ence between  the  character  of  the  tune  and  that 
of  the  poetry,  but  also  to  bring  out  those  nicer 
shades  of  meaning  and  emphasis  which  are  too 
apt  to  be  overlooked,  or  to  be  imperfectly  appre- 
ciated. It  is  thought  that  this  can  not  be  done  on 
the  S3^stem  of  accommodation — th^t  is,  singing  a 
dozen  or  a  hundred  tunes  to  the  same  words. 

Again,  it  is  urged  that  music  of  an  ornate  or 
elaborate  style  should  be  admitted  for  the  encour- 
agement of  the  choir.  Those  who  lead  the  singing, 
having  been  musically  educated,  and  being  accus- 
tomed to  devote  an  evening  every  week  to  the 
practice  of  such  tunes  as  are  used  in  the  Church 
service,  ought  to  be  allowed  to  gratify  their  taste 
for  the  more  admired  and  more  difficult  pieces. 

But  we  are  persuaded  that  an  answer  to  all 
such  arguments  is  furnished  in  what  has  already 
been  said  in  regard  to  plain  tunes.  The  time  may 
come  when  the  people  will  be  prepared  to  unite  in 
the  singing  of  Anthems  and  fugue  tunes,  but  that 
period  is  evidently  distant. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


195 


We  do  not  intend  in  these  remarks  to  exclude 
those  few  favorite  fugue  pieces,  such  as  Corona- 
tion, which  time  and  use  have  made  venerable : 
we  do  not  intend  to  say  that  anthems  should  never 
enter  the  portals  of  the  Church.  To  say  so  might 
be  to  reflect  upon  the  singing  of  David,  Asaph, 
and  their  compeers.  It  would  be  difficult  to  show 
that  they  eschewed  anthems.  Hear  the  "  sweet 
singer"  as  he  raises  his  heart  and  voice  to  the 
words  :  "  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  all  that 
is  within  me,  bless  His  holy  name  ! "  An  anthem, 
properly  sung  as  a  prelude  to  the  morning  service, 
is  certainly  admissible.  By  this  means,  the 
thoughts  are  called  away  from  worldly  pursuits 
and  pleasures,  and  a  soothing,  elevating  influence 
is  exerted  upon  the  assembly. 

As  it  regards  "  vain  repetitions  "  in  fugue  tunes, 
the  objection  can  not  be  admitted  in  full  force, 
inasmuch  as  it  has  been  the  custom  of  pious  peo- 
ple in  all  ages  to  repeat,  frequently  and  earnestly, 
the  words  used  in  Divine  worship.  It  is  only  a 
trivial  and  unmeaning  repetition  that  merits  our 
unqualified  disapproval.  But  no  palliating  con- 
siderations are  sufficient  to  countervail  the  well 
grounded  objections  to  the  introduction  of  difficult 
music  into  the  Church. 

In  ordinary  tunes,  the  singing  of  the  difl'erent 
parts  together  encourages  the  congregation  to 
unite  in  the  worship;  but,  as  a  general  rule,  the 
"use  of  fugue  tunes  and  anthems  is  inexpedient. 


196 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

ADAPTATION — AETICULATION— ACCENT— ATTITUDE. 

Tune  must  be  Adapted  to  the  Words  —  The  Song  must  be  Adapted 
to  the  Time,  Place  and  Occasion  —  Bishop  Pierce  —  Remarks  by 
N.  D.  Gould  —  Another  Illustrative  Instance  —  Spirit  which  Per- 
vades the  Singing  —  Want  of  Feeling  in  Singers  —  Importance 
of  a  Good  Articulation  —  Management  of  the  Voice  —  No  Music 
without  Accent  —  Management  of  the  Breath  —  A  Standing  Posi- 
tion Preferable  —  Dr,  Guthrie's  Remarks. 

Incongruity  of  arrangement  often  sadly  mars 
the  effect  of  that  which  would  otherwise  be  pleas- 
ing and  impressive.  A  painting  may  be  faultless 
in  design,  but  the  various  colors  may  be  so  un- 
skillfully  disposed  as  to  produce  a  caricature 
rather  than  a  tastef  al  and  life-like  picture.  Plain 
apparel  neatly  adjusted  is  attractive ;  but  he  who 
wears  black  on  his  head,  russet  on  his  feet,  and 
buttons  around  him  a  coat  of  crimson  or  scarlet, 
is  but  little  better  than  a  scare-crow.  Divine 
worship,  properly  conducted,  is  the  most  impos- 
ing and  impressive  exercise  that  can  be  wit- 
nessed or  participated  in  by  mortals;  and  yet, 
the  hymn  and  the  tune,  the  prayer  and  the  dis- 
course, may  be  so  at  war  with  each  other  as  to 
remind  us  of  a  world  in  chaos.  Eschewing  fas- 
tidious niceness,  we  are  in  duty  bound  to  make 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


197 


the  services,  as  far  as  possible,  homogeneous. 
The  Apostolic  injunction  is:  *'Let  all  things  be 
done  decently  and  in  order."  There  must  be 
Adaptation. 

The  tune  must  be  adapted  to  the  words.  The 
great  design  of  singing  is  to  stimulate  religious 
feeling.  This  is  done  by  suggesting  to  the  mind 
appropriate  words,  the  import  of  which  is  im- 
pressed upon  the  heart  by  suitable  sounds ; 
therefore,  the  tune  and  the  words  must  harmonize ; 
they  must  be  a  unit — two  things  congenial  in  their 
nature,  blended  into  one.  Any  contrariety  in  their 
spirit  or  tendency  must  of  necessity  create  con- 
fusion and  unpleasantness,  thus  defeating  the 
object  sought  to  be  accomplished. 

Singing  is  a  refined  species  of  elocution.  The 
sounds  are  intended  to  give  expression  to  the 
words,  just  as  in  oratory  the  gesticulation  of  the 
speaker  and  the  glance  of  his  eye  are  designed  to 
give  life  and  efficiency  to  his  utterances.  The  sing- 
ing of  words  expressive  of  sadness  or  solemnity  to 
a  lively  tune  ;  or  words  of  a  jubilant  or  rapturous 
character  to  a  grave,  dull,  monotonous  air,  would 
be  as  antagonistic,  inelegant  and  intolerable  as 
would  be  the  portrayal  of  the  terrors  of  the  law 
by  the  minister  in  soft  and  soothing  tones,  or  the 
exhibition  of  the  "  precious  promises  "  in  a  violent 
and  vociferous  manner. 

The  fiery  syllables  which  were  uttered  by 
Jehovah  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Sinai  were 


198 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


invested  with  terrific  power  and  grandeur,  by  the 
qnaking  of  the  mountain,  the  thunderings  and 
the  lightnings,  and  the  clangor  of  the  trumpet 
which  waxed  louder  and  louder.  But  when  "the 
Friend  of  sinners  "  opened  His  mouth  on  Mount 
Olivet  to  pronounce  blessings  upon  His  followers, 
all  was  peaceful  and  serene,  thus  most  happily 
illustrating,  and  most  successfully  energizing  the 
words  of  the  Redeemer,  which,  although  not  with- 
out penal  sanctions,  were,  nevertheless, 

*'  Like  the  sweet  south, 
That  breathes  upon  a  bed  of  violets, 
Stealing  and  giving  odors." 

So,  there  will  be  found  in  the  Scriptures,  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  a  beautiful  and  philosophical  cor- 
respondence between  the  means  used  and  the  end 
to  be  accomplished. 

For  the  want  of  this,  how  often  have  we  failed 
to  derive  profit  and  pleasure  from  the  service  of 
song?  When  everything  promised  well,  we  have 
been  painfully  disappointed.  The  hymn  was, 
perhaps,  a  master-piece  from  the  pen  of  Wesley 
or  Watts.  The  tune  was  known  to  be  a  general 
favorite.  The  people  sang  correctly  and  with  a 
due  degree  of  energy.  The  different  parts  were 
pitched  upon  the  right  key,  and  the  music  itself 
was  good.  Still  there  was  something  wrong ;  the 
performance  utterly  failed  to  produce  the  antici- 
pated effect.  All  was  cold,  barren,  dead,  and  the 
sense  of  dissatisfaction  experienced  by  all  present 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


199 


continued  until  the  close  of  the  hymn  brought 
relief.  What  was  the  matter?  This  is  a  problem 
of  easy  solution.  There  was  a  glaring  want  of 
adaptation— an  attempt  was  made  to  unite  vivacity 
with  stateliness,  and  the  want  of  congeniality  was 
as  great  as  it  is  when  a  hoary -headed  grand-sire 
of  three  score  and  ten  is  joined  in  wedlock  to  a 
blooming  maiden  of  sixteen. 

The  words,  on  the  occasion,  may  have  been  the 
following : 

"  Salvation,  O  the  joyful  sound! 
'Tis  pleasure  to  our  ears ; 
A  sovereign  balm  for  ev'ry  wound, 
A  cordial  for  our  fears." 

These  gladsome  lines,  sung  to  the  grief-burdened 
notes  of  a  funeral  tune,  resulted  in  such  a  complete 
contradiction — such  a  ludicrous  jumble — such  an 
outrageous  attack  upon  common  sense  and  good 
taste,  as  to  cool  the  ardor  of  devotion  and  expose 
the  service  to  ridicule.  It  was  the  bearer  of  glad 
tidings  coming  to  us  in  tears,  and  delivering  his 
message  in  slow  and  mournful  accents.  Precisely 
similar  is  the  effect  when  words  that  bend,  and 
almost  break  with  sorrow,  are  sung  to  a  brisk  and 
exhilarating  tune.  It  is  like  snow  in  harvest,  or 
vinegar  upon  nitre. 

On  the  contrary,  when  there  is  a  becoming  simili- 
tude between  the  words  and  the  tune,  they  both 
move  along  together  gracefully  and  lovingly,  like 
twin  sisters,  smiling,  and,  to  each  other,  giving 


200 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


countenance  and  support  at  every  step.  It  is 
concord^  doubtless,  that  gives  sweetness  and  sub- 
limity to  the  songs  of  angels. 

This  subject  is  especially  commended  to  the 
careful  consideration  of  those  who  lead  in  the 
singing.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  raise  a  common 
metre  tune  to  a  common  metre  hymn ;  but  to  apply 
to  the  words  a  tune  which  will,  in  the  most  effectual 
manner  possible,  carry  them  to  the  heart,  melting 
it,  humbling  it,  and  uplifting  it  in  adoring  love  to 
the  God  of  all  grace,  is  a  work  that  requires  knovvl- 
edge  and  prayerful  consideration.  There  must  be 
a  knowledge  of  the  import  and  spirit  of  the  hymns 
in  common  use ;  there  must  be  constantly  on 
hand  a  fair  supply  of  tunes  of  the  several  metres ; 
and,  from  these  tunes,  there  must  be  a  judicious 
selection. 

To  do  this  with  faultless  discrimination,  requires 
skill  in  hymnology  and  music  beyond  what  would 
be  ordinarily  expected ;  but  to  make  two  classes 
of  hymns  and  two  classes  of  tunes,  thus  securing 
a  general  distinction  between  the  grave  and  the 
sprightly,  is,  comparatively,  an  easy  achieve- 
ment. Let  the  buoyant,  animating  tunes  and 
words  constitute  one  department;  let  the  hymns 
and  words  of  the  opposite  character  constitute 
the  other:  when  the  time  for  service  comes,  let 
this  classification  be  borne  in  mind,  and  the  poetry 
and  air  will  be  properly  consorted  without  diffi- 
culty.   Let  no  chorister,  whether  learned  or  other- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG.  201 


wise,  shrink  from  tlie  effort  to  do  Ms  work  well.  A 
great  responsibility  is  upon  Mm.  The  benefit  to  be 
derived  from  the  singing  by  the  congregation  de- 
pends, in  a  great  degree,  upon  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  conducted. 

The  tune  and  the  words  must  be  adapted  to  the 
time,  the  place,  and  the  occasion. 

There  are  two  classes  of  emotions  which  it  is 
the  office  of  music  to  excite — the  mournful  and  the 
joyful;  and  those  who  select  the  hymns  and  the 
tunes  should  mentally  inquire — "  what  is  the  lead- 
ing characteristic  of  this  occasion  ? — what  particu- 
lar class  of  feelings  should  be  especially  appealed 
to?"  The  adaptation  of  the  tune  to  the  poetry 
might  be  perfect,  and  yet  the  selection  might  be 
so  wide  of  the  mark  as  to  render  the  music  an 
abrupt  intrusion  upon  the  meditations  of  the 
assembly.  To  this  point  let  careful  attention  be 
given  by  ministers  and  choristers. 

Bishop  Pierce,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  gives  us  an  incident  which  will 
help  to  illustrate.  A  m.inister  (of  what  denomi- 
nation we  are  not  informed)  conducting  Divine 
service  at  night,  was  giving  out  that  excellent 
morning  hymn  which  commences  : 

*'  We  lift  our  hearts  to  Thee, 
O  Day-star  from  on  high ! 
The  sun  itself  is  but  Thy  shade, 
Yet  cheers  both  earth  and  sky." 

During  the  singing,  nearly  all  the  lights  went  out, 


202 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOWO. 


and  darkness  prevailed ;  but  tlie  preacher,  nothing 
daunted,  continued  the  reading,  and  announced 
the  third  stanza,  which  is  as  follows : 

"  How  beauteous  nature  now! 
How  dark  and  sad  before  ! 
With  joy  we  view  the  pleasing  change, 
And  nature's  God  adore." 

This  reminds  us  of  a  venerable  and  useful  min- 
ister who,  on  a  bright  and  beautiful  morning,  arose 
in  the  pulpit  to  commence  the  service,  and  gave 
out  the  hymn — 

•*  The  day  is  past  and  gone, 

The  evening  shades  appear." 

Some  in  the  congregation  sung.  Was  this  right  ? 

Speaking  of  the  want  of  adaptation  as  it  ex- 
isted in  former  days,  Mr.  N.  D.  Gould  says  :  "  We 
have  known  many  strange  and  egregious  impro- 
prieties of  this  kind.  When  there  was  any  public 
occasion  which  required  singing,  such  as  an  ordi- 
nation or  installation  of  a  minister,  dedication  of 
a  church,  installation  of  a  Masonic  lodge.  Fast, 
Thanksgiving,  Christmas,  etc.,  it  seemed  that,  in- 
stead of  selecting  words  appropriate  for  the  occa- 
sion, the  inquiry  was,  rather,  what  tunes  were  the 
most  popular,  or  would  most  please.  ,We  will 
mention  one  or  two  examples  :  When  Judgment 
Hymn,  the  air  said  to  have  been  written  by  Martin 
Luther,  was  first  introduced  to  the  public  in 
this  country,  and  performed  by  the  Handel  and 
Haydn   Society,  with  the  words,  '  Great  God, 


TlIK  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


203 


what  do  I  see  and  hear,'  with  instrumental  accom- 
paniment, the  effect  was  powerful ;  the  fame  of 
it  soon  spread  through  the  country,  and,  it  being 
understood  that  it  was  not  difficult  to  perform, 
copies  were  procured  by  a  choir  for  the  purpose 
of  singing  it  at  an  ordination!  Billings'  'Anthem 
for  Easter,'  words,  '  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,'  was 
used,  and  considered  proper  on  all  the  foregoing 
occasions." 

A  Judgment  tune,  sung  to  Resurrection  words, 
at  an  ordination,  dedication,  or  thanksgiving 
service ! 

In  the  same  connection,  we  have  the  following 
narrative  by  a  gentleman  who  was  leisurely  travel- 
ing on  horseback  from  a  city  into  the  adjoining 
country.  He  says :  "  Seeing  a  gathering  at  a 
school-house  near  the  road,  remote  from  any  other 
building,  I  dismounted,  tied  my  horse,  approached 
the  house,  inquired  the  occasion  of  the  collection ; 
was  told  that  their  singing-master  had  made  an 
anthem  for  an  ordination  that  was  to  take  place 
in  a  few  days,  and  that  the  singers  had  met  to 
learn  it.  Being  a  stranger,  the  crowd  that  had 
gathered  about  the  house  to  hear  the  performance 
politely  made  a  passage  for  me,  even  into  the  in- 
terior. The  singers,  I  found,  all  held  a  manuscript 
copy  of  what  they  were  singing  ;  the  leader,  with 
his  coat  off,  beating  time  with  his  head,  both 
hands,  and  one  foot.    Knowing  the  impropriety 


204 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


of  entering  a  room  where  singers  are  in  the  midst 
of  rehearsing  a  tune,  I  held  back  at  first ;  but  no, 
as  though  they  feared  I  should  lose  some  import- 
ant strain  by  delay,  the  spectators  hurried  me  on 
to  the  sight  and  hearing  of  the  performers.  When 
they  had  gotten  through,  and  sounded  out  the 
Amen,  long  and  loud,  the  leader  and  author  po- 
litely handed  me  a  copy  of  the  anthem ;  and  as 
their  articulation  was  such  that  I  had  not  been 
able  to  distinguish  a  single  word  of  what  I  had 
heard  sung,  I,  therefore,  set  about  reading  the 
lines,  and  found,  to  my  astonishment,  that  they 
were  the  familiar  words  of  boyhood,  being  a  fable 
taken  from  an  old  spelling-book,  commencing  as 
follows :  '  An  old  man  found  a  rude  boy  up  one 
of  his  trees,  stealing  apples,  and  desired  him  to 
come  down,' "  etc. 

We  have  another  illustrative  instance  to  give, 
which  w^as  received  from  a  minister  who  was 
present  on  the  occasion.  The  officiating  preacher 
was  a  stranger  to  the  people,  and  the  people  were 
strangers  to  him.  At  the  appointed  hour,  he  arose 
in  the  pulpit  and  read,  you  will  suppose, 

"  Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne," 

"  Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs," 

or  some  other  hymn  of  undoubted  merit  and  ap- 
propriateness. But  you  must  understand  that  the 
preacher,  being  about  to  introduce  himself  to  the 
people,  desired  something  of  a  more  personal 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


205 


character.  Then,  you  will  conjecture  that  the 
words  were  the  following  : 

"  We  bid  thee  welcome  in  the  name 
Of  Jesus,  our  exalted  Head." 

But  these  surmises  are  all  widely  different  from 
the  reality.  Our  newly  inaugurated  pastor  sur- 
prised his  flock  by  reading  out  for  his  first  hymn 
these  words : 

"  Unveil  thy  bosom,  faithful  tomb; 

Take  this  new  treasure  to  thy  trust, 
And  give  these  sacred  relics  room 
To  slumber  in  the  silent  dust." 

The  second  hymn  selected  and  sung  was  like 
unto  the  first.  It  commences  with  the  familiar 
words : 

"  Why  do  we  mourn  departing  friends?" 

These  are,  of  course,  extreme  cases,  but  they 
are  also  representative  of  a  class  of  improprieties 
which  are  by  no  means  of  rare  occurrence.  In 
everything  pertaining  to  the  sanctuary,  how  ex- 
ceedingly desirable  is  the  exercise  of  sound  judg- 
ment and  good  taste. 

Again,  the  spirit  which  pervades  the  singing 
should  be  adapted  to  the  tune  and  the  words, 
also  to  the  time,  place  and  occasion.  All  the 
selections  and  arrangements  may  be  appropriate, 
but  song  must  have  a  soul  as  well  as  a  body. 
Feeling  must  always  be  the  great  characteristic 
of  good  singing.    The  bare  reading  of  the  words 


206 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


would  be  more  effectual  tlian  a  thoughtless,  soul- 
less attempt  to  slug  tliem.  There  must  be  spirit 
in  Church  singing ;  not  simply  a  musical  spirit, 
such  as  that  which  predominates  at  the  theatre  or 
the  opera;  but  a  Sabbath  spirit — a  devotional 
spirit — a  spirit  in  unison  with  the  sentiments  which 
we  utter.  Without  this,  the  music  can  not  possibly 
give  expression  to  the  poetry. 

Feeling  is  the  soul  of  eloquent  speaking.  The 
orator  must  have  a  vivid  conception  of  the  mean- 
ing and  force  of  the  language  which  clothes  his 
ideas — his  winged  and  glowing  thoughts  must  go 
out  upon  the  assembly  warm  from  the  heart ;  and 
so  it  must  be  in  singing  whenever  its  legitimate 
effect  is  produced.  The  mind,  having  been  with- 
drawn from  sublunary  scenes,  must  be  intently 
fixed  upon  the  words  used;  and  these,  being 
clearly  apprehended,  and  appreciated,  will  natur- 
ally and  spontaneously  give  tone  and  significance 
to  the  strains  in  which  they  are  sounded  forth. 

The  writer's  mind  recurs,  at  this  moment,  to  a 
precentor,  chorister,  or  tune-raiser,  whichever  ap- 
pellation may  be  preferred,  who  seemed  to  have 
no  lack  of  confidence  in  his  musical  capabilities, 
and  who  evidently  took  great  pleasure  in  filling 
the  onice  which  he  had  voluntarily  assumed.  While 
the  minister  was  in  the  act  of  reading  the  first  two 
lines  of  the  stanza,  our  leader,  with  an  air  of  self- 
importance,  surveyed  the  congregation,  as  if 
greatly  delighted  with  the  idea  of  conferring  hap- 


THE  SERVICK  OF  SONG. 


207 


piness  upon  so  many  j^eople.  The  last  syllable 
of  the  couplet  had  scarcely  escaped  the  preacher's 
lips,  when  our  accommodating  friend  pitched  the 
tune  on  rather  a  high  key,  and  proceeded  so 
rapidly  as  almost  to  defy  competition.  Nor  did 
he  cease  to  gaze  upon  the  audience  with  an  air  of 
idle  indifference  and  self-complacency.  His  whole 
demeanor  seemed  to  say — "  This  is  easy  work  for 
me — I  am  doing  it  to  perfection — it  is  as  natural 
for  me  to  sing  as  it  is  for  the  brook  to  ripple  along 
over  its  pebbly  bed — it  is  not  even  necessary  for 
me  to  think  of  the  words,  or  of  worship,  or  of  any- 
thing else  in  particular."  Thus  our  wandering- 
minded,  icy-hearted,  high-strung,  galloping  cantil- 
lator  continued  to  the  close  of  the  hymn  ;  and 
that  delectable  exercise,  instead  of  satiating,  only 
whetted  his  appetite  for  the  next  one.  Some- 
times, before  or  after  the  service,  he  would  sing 
solo  —  he  never  got  tired  of  singing  —  and  then, 
having  it  all  to  himself,  he  seemed  to  enjoy  his 
freedom  hugely ;  he  scampered  along  in  double- 
quick  time,  and  his  accelerated  and  unfeeling 
clatter  reminded  those  who  had  the  misfortune  to 
be  near  him  of  the  sound  of  the  blacksmith's 
hammer  when  he  makes  haste  to  strike  while  the 
iron  is  hot;  or,  of  a  child  beating  drum  on  a 
broken  kettle.  The  utter  thoughtlessness  which 
marked  all  the  performances  of  this  well-meaning 
man  amounted  to  an  affliction  in  the  case  of  those 
who  tried  to  be  devotional. 


208 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


"As  general  rules,  accordant  with  common  sense 
and  the  dictates  of  nature,  all  who  appreciate  the 
sentiment  sung,  will  observe,  for  instance,  in  the 
pathetic,  the  slow  and  soft ;  in  the  'beautiful,  the 
quick  and  soft;  in  the  spirited,  the  quick  and 
loud;  in  the  grand,  the  slow  and  loud — whilst 
other  passages  will  be  considered  as  requiring  no 
considerable  change  from  the  common  movement 
or  quantity  ;  but  a  peculiar  distinctness  of  utter- 
ance, or  some  distinction  in  the  tone  or  modulation 
of  the  voice,  expressive  of  the  sentiment.  A  good 
judgment  and  due  attention  to  sentiment  will 
generally  dictate  the  proper  expression,  especially 
when  the  heart  is  truly  pious." 

"  The  psalm  may  be  sung,"  says  Mr.  Freeman, 
"  with  precision,  every  note  in  the  tune  being  cor- 
rectly sounded,  and  yet  there  may  be  a  want  of 
expression,  and  the  music  may,  therefore,  be  with- 
out effect.  The  expression  of  the  voice  should  be 
accommodated- to  the  nature  of  the  sentiment  ex- 
pressed, and  for  this  purpose  the  sentiment  must 
be  understood.''^ 

Mr.  Gould  says  :  "  The  words  we  sing  must  be 
so  clearly  apprehended  and  felt  as  to  make  them 
our  own.  We  must  speak  them  out ;  for  the  words 
will  not,  without  our  aid,  make  any  impression  on 
our  own  feelings,  or  the  hearts  of  others.  Reason 
teaches  us  that,  if  words  are  sacred,  the  mind 
should  be  directed  toward  the  Being  we  address, 
and  carried  away  from  man  and  earth,  and  from 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


209 


all  thoaglit  of  making  a  display  of  musical  talent. 
If  the  words  are  solemn  and  sublime,  the  mind 
should  be  fixed  on  the  grand  and  awful  scenes 
which  time  and  eternity  present.  If  plaintive  or 
pathetic,  we  should  bring  the  scenes  they  are  in- 
tended to  represent  home  to  our  own  hearts.  If 
supplicatory,  our  minds  should  be  impressed  with 
the  fact  that  it  is  as  solemn  to  address  the  throne 
of  grace  in  sacred  song,  as  to  use  the  same  lan- 
guage in  the  voice  of  prayer.  With  these  feelings 
and  views,  individuals  and  choirs  can  scarcely 
fail  of  giving  that  kind  of  expresion  which  will  do 
good ;  and  without  them  all  is  solemn  mockery." 

"  The  voice  of  the  Church,"  says  Mr.  Willis,  "  as 
heard  in  her  solemn  music,  should  be  full  of  joy — 
but  full  of  dignity.  Full  of  tenderness — but  full 
of  manly  depth.  Full  of  sorrow  and  hearty  con- 
trition— but  full  of  earnest  strength.  Full  of 
love — bat  full  of  awe :  and,  therefore,  utterly  free 
from  sentimentality  and  languishment." 

"  Let  a  congregation,"  says  Mr.  Furber,  "  be 

required  to  sing,  now  soft,  now  loud,  now  fast,  now 

slowly,  now  crescendo,  now  diminuendo,  and  now 

with  prolonged  and  gliding  notes,  and  always 

with  such  deference  for  punctuation  that  a  comma 

would  bring  an  entire  assembly  to  a  sudden, 

startling  pause,  and  the  attempt  to  do  this,  besides 

being  in  itself  a  pretentious  failure,  would  defeat 

every  religious  end  which  psalmody  contemplates." 

In  singing,  our  observance  of  rules  must  become 
14 


210 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


a  habit — a  sort  of  second  nature,  our  music  being 
a  genuine  emanation  from  the  heart — the  blazing 
out  of  the  fire  which  burns  within. 

Finally,  it  has  been  contended  that  the  style  of 
music  should  be  adapted  to  the  peculiarities  of  the 
race  by  which  it  is  used.  A  writer  in  one  of  our 
quarterlies  has  advanced  some  interesting  views 
on  the  subject.  He  traces  the  difference  between 
the  Teutonic  major  mood  and  the  Celtic  minor. 
The  fourth  and  seventh  degrees  of  the  Teutonic 
scale  are  omitted  in  the  Celtic.  The  peculiar 
wildness  which  characterizes  Scotch  melodies  is 
wholly  due  to  this  fact.  In  Celtic  music,  the  minor 
mood  predominates ;  in  Teutonic,  the  major  mood. 
The  Teuton  can  not  appreciate  and  enjoy  the  Cel- 
tic music ;  nor  can  the  Teutonic  style  charm  the 
Celt,  a  fact  not  easily  accounted  for. 

Attention  is  also  called  by  this  writer  to  the 
fact  that  the  middle  and  western  parts  of  Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia  were 
settled  chiefly  with  a  people  of  Celtic  blood ; 
therefore,  it  is  believed  that  Celtic  provincialisms, 
social  habits,  and  religious  sentiments,  are  the 
prevailing  characteristics  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Southern  States. 

This  being  the  case,  the  general  use  of  German 
music  by  the  Southern  people  is  unwise  in  the  ex- 
treme. German  music  teachers  never  can  success- 
fully instruct  those  who  are  of  Celtic  descent,  and 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


211 


we  oiiglit,  therefore,  to  employ  properly  qualified 
Celto-American,  or  Anglo-American  teachers. 

We  receive,  with  some  abatement,  the  general 
principle  which  underlies  our  author's  reasoning : 
nations  have  their  peculiar  style  of  music,  as  well 
as  their  peculiar  laws  and  customs ;  and  men  are 
apt  to  place  a  high  estimate  upon  that  which  has 
come  down  to  them  from  a  former  age,  and  with 
which  they  have  been  familiar  from  childhood. 
But  we  may  err  in  the  application  of  this  principle. 
It  is  a  fact,  that  throughout  our  whole  country, 
those  very  tunes  which  the  writer  in  the  Review 
gives  as  specimens  of  "  the  German  choral,"  such 
as  Old  Hundreth^  Medway^  and  Nottingham^  have 
well  subserved  the  purposes  of  worship.  Con- 
gregations composed  of  persons  of  both  German 
and  Scottish  extraction,  have  sung  them,  enjoyed 
them,  been  benefited  by  them,  and,  for  aught  that 
has  appeared  to  the  contrary,  the  representatives 
of  each  country  in  an  equal  degree. 

The  principle  of  adaptation  would  seem  to  re- 
quire a  selection  of  tunes  comprising  favorite 
pieces  of  both  styles  of  music.  In  entirely  dis- 
carding the  Teutonic  element,  we  should  lose 
much;  and  to  ignore  the  good,  old,  revival, 
Celtic  minors,  sung  with  such  happy  effect  by  our 
pioneer  ancestors  and  their  children,  would  be  to 
make  a  void  in  our  Church  music  which  the  finest 
modern  compositions  never  could  fill. 

The  wants  of  a  mixed  population  may  be  most  ef- 


212 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


fectually  met  by  a  collection  of  pieces  correspond- 
ingly miscellaneous.  We  can  hardly  suppose  that 
our  friend  would  object  to  a  work  comprising  a 
judicious  selection  of  German  pieces,  together 
with  a  liberal  supply  of  such  old  minors  as  Sup- 
plication^ Solemnity  and  Liberty  Hall. 

With  him,  we  prefer  that  which  is  American  to 
that  which  is  imported,  whenever  it  can  be  made 
available. 

We  can  scarcely  overstate  the  importance  of  a 
clear  and  distinct  Articulation  in  devotional  sing- 
ing. We  can  not  confess  our  sins  in  music ;  we 
can  not  ask  forgiveness  in  music ;  we  can  not 
thank  and  adore  the  Giver  of  all  our  blessings  in 
music.  There  must  be  an  exercise  of  mind  as 
well  as  the  pleasurable  sensations  produced  by 
sweet  sounds.  Mere  music  is  too  indefinite  and 
intangible  a  thing  to  be  the  vehicle  of  worship ;  it 
must  be  combined  with  suitable  words.  From 
sacred  history,  we  learn  that  this  alliance  has  ex- 
isted from  time  immemorial. 

If,  then,  we  pretend  to  utter  words  when  we 
sing,  the  utterance  should,  of  course,  be  as  correct 
and  intelligible  as  possible  :  an  indolent,  artificial 
or  slovenly  enunciation  can  only  be  excused  on 
the  ground  of  ignorance,  or  of  radical  defective- 
ness in  the  vocal  organs. 

A  good  articulation  is  as  important  to  the  singer 
as  it  is  to  the  speaker.    Even  if  the  matter  which 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


213 


the  orator  intends  to  discuss  could  by  some  means 
Ibe  known  to  the  audience  without  the  use  of 
language,  yet  if  he  essay  to  employ  words,  a 
decent  respect  for  the  persons  addressed  requires 
that  these  words  be  spoken,  not  as  in  ridicule  or 
mockery,  but  with  propriety. 

Those  who  sing  are  expected  also  to  listen,  and 
in  every  congregation  there  are  silent  auditors. 
Now,  if  the  words  which  are  sung  be  so  drawled, 
tortured,  and  jumbled  together  as  to  produce  an 
unmeaning  and  ridiculous  jargon,  what  better  is 
that  than  speaking  in  the  church  in  an  unknown 
tongue?  Is  it  not  even  more  intolerable?  St. 
Paul  reproves  the  Corinthians  for  singing  and 
praying  in  a  language  that  the  people  did  not 
understand,  and  he  declares  that  he  had  rather 
speak  five  words  intelligibly  than  ten  thousand 
words  in  an  unknown  tongue.  "  Except  ye  utter 
by  the  tongue  words  easy  to  be  understood,  how 
shall  it  be  known  what  is  spoken  ?" 

The  editor  of  the  Home  Circle  gives  an 
account  of  an  old  man  who,  from  sheer  laziness, 
as  it  seemed,  had  acquired  a  trick  of  lapping  his 
tongue  under  nearly  every  word  he  uttered  in  sing- 
ing—  as  ''Culm  thoiil  Founts  Some  take  un- 
warranted liberties  with  the  letter  d,  by  separat- 
ing it  from  the  word  to  which  it  belongs,  and  carry- 
ing it  over  to  the  succeeding  word,  thus  causing 


214 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


deficiency  in  the  lormer  and  redundancy  in  the 
latter,  as 

"An  dare  we  yet  alive?" 
"An  dif  our  fellowship  below  " — 

Others  have  an  indescribahle  method  of  twirling 
certain  letters,  particularly  the  letter  v.  A  dis- 
tinguished author  informs  us  that  this  habit  pre- 
vailed extensively  in  this  country  some  years  ago. 
He  says  that,  in  some  places,  there  seemed  to  be 
an  effort  made  by  the  sexes  to  outvie  each  other 
in  this  whirling,  whizzing  operation,  and  that  the 
feminine  contestants  invariably  took  the  palm. 

Bass  singers  not  unfrequently  ignore  articula- 
tion almost  entirely.  Having  apparently  but  little 
use  for  the  tongue,  they  keep  up  a  sort  of  un- 
earthly drone  or  groan,  from  the  begiiming  to  the 
end  of  the  tune. 

Others  attempt  to  edify  us  by  a  constant 
nasal  twanging,  taking  care  to  begin  the  stanza  a 
little  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  singers,  and  to 
sigh  out  the  last  syllable  solo,  that  we  may  be 
enabled  to  appreciate  the  excellence  of  the  per- 
formance ! 

The  omission  of  letters,  syllables,  and  even 
words,  is  a  common  occurrence.  But  time  would 
fail  us  to  point  out  all  the  different  phases  of  a 
vicious  articulation. 

These  inaccuracies  may,  we  think,  be  cor- 
rected with  ease.  The  Italians  have  a  proverb — 
"Read  well  —  sing  well."    All  who  read  well 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


215 


do  not  sing  well;  yet  good  reading  is  evidently 
the  basis  of  good  singing.  Let  a  half  hour  each 
day  be  spent  in  reading  aloud,  with  the  express 
design  of  acquiring  a  perfect  articulation ;  then 
let  the  learner  exercise  himself  in  singing  occa- 
sionally with  direct  reference  to  this  object,  and 
the  difficulty  will  soon  vanish.  The  habit  will  be 
formed  of  expressing  every  vowel,  syllable,  and 
word  clearly. 

"  In  the  management  of  the  voice,  the  first 
object,"  says  Mr.  Turner,  "will  be  to  obtain  a 
natural  tone  in  its  purest  state.  A  pure  voice  is 
that  which  comes  forth  neat  and  clean  from  the 
cTiest^  passing  freely  through  the  mouth.  To  pro- 
duce this,  great  care  must  be  taken  that  the  mouth 
be  kept  moderately  open.  If  it  be  too  much 
closed,  the  voice  will  strike  against  the  teeth  and 
lips,  and  be  thereby  vitiated  and  enfeebled ;  or  it 
will  cause  that  peculiar  action  of  the  nose,  which 
renders  the  tone  nasal." 

Mr.  Hirst  says :  "  The  precise  articulation  of  the 
words  is  an  excellence  that  can  not  be  neglected 
without  injury  to  good  music.  Some  singers  are 
in  the  habit  of  giving  a  strange  and  fanciful,  yet, 
to  all  persons  who  have  any  skill  in  language, 
disgusting  pronunciation  to  many  words  ;  so  much 
so,  that  at  times  it  would  be  difficult  to  ascertain 
what  language  they  use." 

Mr.  Nathan  observes  :  "  The  formation  of  the 
mouth  should  not  be  altered  while  singing  a  vowel, 


216 


TUB  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


otherwise  the  correct  pronunciation  of  such  words 
as  yes,  no,  smile,  me,  she,  sigh,  and  many  others, 
is  destroyed,  or  changed  into  unmeaning  expres- 
sions, as  yeas,  noa,  smoil,  moy,  mea,  shea  floy, 
sigJia.  and  so  on.  Is  it  natural  to  hear  such  a 
perversion  of  orthography  from  the  lips  of  well 
educated  persons,  who  would,  no  doubt,  be  very 
tenacious  in  speaking,  but  yet  will  make  no  scruple 
in  thus  departing  from  propriety  in  singing,  when, 
in  fact,  one  of  the  chief  beauties  in  the  science  is 
elegant  pronunciation?" 

To  secure  this,  let  it  always  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  consonants  must  be  spolcen,  and  the 
vowels  sounded,  that  freedom  being  accorded  to 
the  voice  which  is  claimed  by  the  spirit  of  song. 
The  sound  must  not  be  stifled  in  the  throat  of 
the  singer,  nor  mutilated  between  the  teeth. 

Attention  should  also  be  given  to  Accent,  in 
music.  In  reading,  every  word  of  more  than  one 
syllable  has  its  accented  letters,  and  every  sen- 
tence has  its  emphatic  w^ords  ;  so  in  singing,  the 
tune  is  divided  into  measures,  and  each  measure 
has  its  accented,  and  its  unaccented  parts.  It  has 
been  forcibly  said  that  there  is  no  more  music  in 
singing  without  accent  than  there  is  in  the  hum- 
ming of  a  bee.  Such  singing  would  be  fitly  repre- 
sented by  reading  when  every  syllable  and  every 
word  received  precisely  the  same  stress  of  voice. 
A  graceful  and  impressive  accentuation  does  not 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


217 


require  iis  to  sing  tlie  unaccented  parts  of  the 
measure  in  an  ordinary  tone,  and  then  to  pour  out 
a  full  volume  of  voice  on  the  accented  notes.  On 
the  contrary,  we  should  sing  the  accented  sylla- 
bles with  customary  ease  and  force,  restraining 
the  voice  on  the  unaccented  parts.  The  degree  of 
softness  must,  of  course,  depend  upon  the  style  of 
the  music  and  the  meaning  of  the  words.  Habit 
and  a  due  appreciation  of  the  spirit  of  the  song, 
will  enable  us  to  place  the  accent  correctly,  almost 
without  effort.  An  author  who  wrote  twenty-five 
years  ago  gives  us  the  following  directions  : 

"  In  common  time  remember  well,  by  art, 
The  first  and  third  is  the  accented  part ; 
And  if  your  music  triple  time  should  be, 
Your  accent  is  the  first  of  every  three." 

Much  depends  also  upon  the  proper  management 
of  the  treatli. 

"Power  or  softness,  volubility  or  sweetness, 
depend  greatly  on  the  prudent  management  of 
the  breath.  By  a  proper  inflation  of  the  lungs  at 
the  beginning  of  a  note,  the  singer  is  enabled  to 
give  that  gradual  swell  and  diminution  of  voice 
which  forms  one  of  the  most  exquisite  beauties 
of  the  science." 

Breath  should  be  taken  at  every  pause  in  the 
music,  but  never  in  the  middle  of  a  word.  It 
should  not  be  lavished  too  freely  upon  the  first 
note  or  two,  lest  the  supply  be  exhausted  before 
an  opportunity  occurs  to  replenish.    In  that  case 


218 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


the  voice  loses  its  firmness  and  smootlmess,  and 
sinks  into  the  tremulousness  of  extreme  old  age. 

"Tonal  utterance  requires  prolongation  of 
sound.  When  this  necessary  condition  of  song  is 
wanting,  as  it  must  be,  if  every  pause  which  the 
sense  of  the  hymn  admits  is  allowed  to  suspend 
the  voice,  melody  is  destroyed,  and  singing  be- 
comes declamation.  Even  that  momentary  cessa- 
tion of  tone  which  is  necessary  in  taking  breath, 
constitutes  an  imperfection  in  singing,  and  the  art 
of  concealing  the  act  of  breathing,  so  as  to  break 
as  little  as  possible  the  flow  of  a  melody,  is  always 
cultivated  by  the  best  vocalists." 

Care  should  be  taken  in  singing  to  avoid  all  un- 
authorized errihellisliments.  In  reading,  we  should 
grossly  misrepresent  the  author  if  we  were  to 
interpolate  a  half  dozen  words  in  every  sentence ; 
but  many  persons,  in  singing,  do  a  like  injustice 
to  the  composer  of  the  tune,  without  compunction. 
What  are  intended  to  be  grace  notes  and  slurs  are 
introduced  into  every  measure  with  the  view  of  giv- 
ing to  the  tune  that  vivacity  and  elegance  which  the 
author  failed  to  impart  to  it.  This  mending  opera- 
tion is  bad  enough  in  an  amateur  performance,  but 
in  public  worship,  it  is  incomparably  worse.  Of 
course  no  one  can  follow  the  innovator  in  all  his 
windings  and  warblings :  he  must  run  around, 
above,  and  beneath,  by  himself;  and  the  effect  is  to 
offend  the  ears  and  distract  the  minds  of  the  wor- 
shipers, thus  seriously  marring  the  beauty  and 


THE  SERVICE  Ol*'  SONG. 


219 


effect  of  the  service.  There  are,  doubtless,  many 
singers,  both  male  and  female,  who  have  uncon- 
sciously contracted  this  habit  of  ornamentation^ 
and  who  would  do  well  to  correct  it  as  speedily  as 
possible. 

Attitude  in  singing  is  a  subject  which  deserves 
consideration.  Standing  was  unquestionably  ihe 
posture  observed  by  the  singers  in  the  olden  time. 
They  were  directed  "  to  stand  every  morning  to 
thank  and  praise  the  Lord,  and  likewise  at  even." 
The  Psalmist  says :  Praise  ye  the  Lord.  Praise 
ye  the  name  of  the  Lord :  praise  Him  all  ye  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord.  Ye  that  stand  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord,  in  the  courts  of  the  house  of  our  God." 
From  the  fact  that  the  standing  posture  for 
singers  is  frequently  alluded  to  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  sitting  never,  we  may  certainly  conclude 
that  the  former  is  preferable.  Superiors  may  be 
expected  to  sit  in  the  presence  of  inferiors ;  but 
standing  is  a  reverential  attitude  such  as  becometh 
those  who  would  worship  the  Most  High  in  song. 

A  standing  position  is  also  much  to  be  preferred 
because  it  gives  such  freedom  to  the  chest,  and 
such  power  to  the  vocal  organs  generally,  as  can 
not  be  commanded  by  those  who  remain  seated. 

It  is  frequently  very  difficult  to  overcome  that 
feeling  of  languor  and  drowsiness  which  is  apt  to 
steal  upon  those  who,  being  accustomed  to  physi- 
cal activity,  sit  down  quietly  in  the  church,  wear- 


220 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


ing  more  than  tlieir  usual  quantity  of  clothing. 
This  sleepy  influence  must  be  overcome,  or  it 
will  assuredly  assert  its  dominion  over  its  sub- 
jects. To  sit  during  the  entire  service,  is 
most  favorable  to  Morpheus  ;  but  to  stand  up  fre- 
quently, and  exercise  the  voice  and  the  heart  in 
singing,  is  well  calculated  to  arouse  the  energies 
of  both  body  and  mind,  and  to  promote  that 
spiritual  fervor  which  should  ever  characterize 
our  worship. 

"  The  restoration  of  the  old,  chaste  music,  about 
the  year  1808,  awakened  an  interest  in  singers  of 
preceding  generations.  Ministers  and  Churches 
were  satisfied  that  poor  singing  made  a  miserable 
congregation ;  and,  as  one  writer  says,  made  an 
open  window  for  the  preacher's  instructions  to 
escape.  It  was  now  fondly  anticipated  that  a 
generation  of  singers  would  rise  up  and  sing. 
Rise  up  and  sing,  did  we  say?  This  might  be 
said  of  some  congregations  now,  as  it  was  of  those 
who  sang  praises  to  God  in  the  days  of  the  patri- 
archs and  prophets  ;  but  it  is  entirely  inapplicable 
to  religious  meetings  in  these  days,  when  wor- 
shipers take  their  seats  when  they  enter  the  vestry 
or  place  of  worship,  and  many  of  them  never  rise 
till  the  closing  benediction  or  doxology.  This 
custom  has  not  been  of  long  continuance ;  and  we 
believe,  if  Christians  were  awake  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  their  own  souls,  and  the  souls  of  sinners, 
they  would  not  sluggishly  sit  and  sing,  when 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


221 


neither  the  voice  nor  the  spirit  of  the  song  seems 
to  rise  above  the  seats  which  they  occupy." 

Let  no  one  but  an  invalid  claim  to  have  suffi- 
cient reason  for  sitting  during  the  singing.  We 
are  informed  that  the  Pilgrim  fathers  sometimes 
sang  thirty  stanzas  at  one  time,  standing  all  the 
while,  after  standing  through  a  long  prayer !  The 
singing  of  one  psalm  sometimes  occupied  a  full 
half  hour,  and  the  prayer  frequently  a  longer 
time ! 

Not  long  since.  Dr.  Guthrie,  a  distinguished 
divine  of  Edinburg,  expressed  from  the  pulpit 
"  a  wish  to  disburden  his  conscience  "  on  a  matter 
which  had  long  pressed  upon  it.  He  said  that  the 
proper  attitude  for  singing  was  standing — proper, 
because  it  was  an  act  of  worship ;  and  proper,  be- 
cause it  was  the  better  fitted  for  an  act  of  singing. 
He  said  he  believed  that  there  was  a  prejudice  in 
favor  of  sitting  during  the  singing  of  the  Psalms, 
on  the  ground  that  it  was  a  good  old  Scotch  cus- 
tom. This  was  an  entire  mistake.  The  good  old 
Scotch  custom  was  to  stand  ;  and  sitting  was  first 
introduced  into  Scotland  by  the  recommendation 
of  the  Westminster  Commissioners,  who  desired 
uniformity  in  worship  in  both  parts  of  the  island. 
It  was  introduced  into  Scotland  in  compliance 
with  English  prejudices. 

This  subject  is  eminently  worthy  of  regard. 
Doubtless  there  might  be  an  improvement,  even 
in  Churches  where  it  is  customary  to  stand  at  the 


222 


tup:  service  of  song. 


beginning  and  close  of  tlie  service,  and  to  sit  dur- 
ing the  singing  of  the  second  hymn.  Why  not 
always  stand  when  we  engage  in  the  service  of 
praise  ?  Where  it  is  the  custom  to  kneel  in  prayer, 
it  seems  to  be  especially  appropriate  to  stand  in 
singing. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


223 


CHAPTER  Y. 

I  X  S  T  R  U  :\I  E  X  T  A  L    31  U  S  I  C  . 

Invention  of  Musical  Instruments  —  Eg}'?^  Claims  Precedence  —  Also 
the  Chinese  —  Devotion  of  the  Grecians  to  Music  —  Romans  — 
Music  in  Great  Britain  —  The  Organ  —  Dr.  A.  Clarke  on  Instru- 
mental Music  —  Richard  Baxter's  View  —  Home  and  Richmond  — 
^\^lat  Richard  Watson  says  —  David  —  Silence  of  Christ  and 
the  Apostles  on  the  subject  —  J.  Wesley's  advice  as  to  Organs  — 
Portrait  of  a  Good  Organist  —  Various  kinds  of  Instruments  — 
We  should  always  Sing  Spiritually  —  Church  Ser^•ice  should  be 
Attractive  —  Objections  Neutralized  —  The  best  Arrangement. 

We  have  already  seen  that  musical  instruments 
were  invented  by  Jubal,  about  five  hundred  years 
after  the  Creation. 

Instrumental,  as  well  as  vocal  music,  was  com- 
mon among  the  Jews,  from  the  days  of  Moses  nntil 
their  national  existence  ended  under  the  crushing 
sway  of  Imperial  Rome.  It  was  used,  as  we  have 
seen,  in  their  public  worship,  in  their  wars,  and  at 
their  social  gatherings,  whether  for  mourning  or 
rejoicing. 

Egypt  puts  in  her  chiiiu  as  the  inventor  of  in- 
struments of  music.  Tradition  states  that,  "  the 
Nile  having  overflowed  its  banks  at  the  periodical 
time  for  the  rise  of  that  wonderful  river ;  on  its 
subsidence  to  its  usual  level,  several  dead  animals 


224 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


were  left  on  the  sliore  ;  and,  among  the  rest,  a 
tortoise,  the  flesh  of  which  being  dried  and  wasted 
in  the  sun,  nothing  remained  within  the  shell  but 
nerves  and  cartilages,  which,  being  lightened  and 
contracted  by  the  heat,  became  sonorous.  Mer- 
cury, walking  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  hap- 
pened to  strike  against  this  shell,  and  was  so 
pleased  with  the  sound  produced  that  the  idea  of 
the  lyre  suggested  itself  to  his  imagination.  The 
first  instrument  he  constructed  was  in  the  form  of 
a  tortoise,  and  was  strung  with  the  sinews  of  dried 
animals." 

The  Mercury  here  mentioned  was  so  called  by 
the  Latins,  but  was  named  Hermes  by  the  Greeks, 
and  Thent  or  Thoth  by  the  Egyptians.  He  was 
secretary  to  Osiris,  one  of  the  kings  of  Egypt. 

The  Chinese  also  claim  to  be  the  inventors  of 
musical  instruments.  Their  first  prince,  Fo  Hi,  it 
is  said,  "  made  a  most  beautiful  lyre  and  guitar, 
adorned  with  precious  stones,  which  produced  a 
most  noble  harmony,  curbed  the  passions,  and 
elevated  man  to  virtue  and  heavenly  truth." 

Great  attention  was  given  to  music  in  Babylon 
during  the  captivity  of  the  Jews,  about  five  hun- 
dred and  sixty  years  before  Christ.  At  the  sound 
of  the  "cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,* psaltery, 
dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,"  the  people  were 
required  to  fall  down  and  worship  the  image  which 
Nebuchadnezzar  had  set  up. 

The  Grecians  were  renowned  for  their  knowl- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


225 


edge  of  astronomy,  philosophy,  poetry,  music,  and 
tlie  other  branches  of  science.  But,  as  Fermely 
says,  "  in  the  period  of  their  greatest  barbarism, 
this  art  (music)  outweighed  every  other  merit." 

Music  is  mentioned  in  the  Iliad  and  Odyssey 
upward  of  fifty  times,  and  always  with  rapture. 
Vocal  music  seems  to  have  been  most  general. 
Homer  speaks  of  singing  without  instruments ;  but 
never  of  instrumental  music  apart  from  vocal. 

The  Romans  cultivated  music  with  some  success, 
having  received  much  aid  in  that,  as  in  the  other 
sciences,  from  the  Grecians. 

Music,  both  with  and  without  instruments,  has 
been  assiduously  cultivated  in  Great  Britain  from 
an  early  jDeriod  of  her  history  to  the  present  time. 

When  the  Puritans  left  their  native  shores  and 
took  up  their  abode  in  the  Xew  World,  they 
eschewed  all  display  in  Divine  worship ;  and, 
of  course,  rejected  instrumental  music  with 
Cromwellian  determination.  This  proscription 
continued  for  a  century.  Eventually,  the  pitch- 
pipe  was  allowed  in  the  Church ;  then  the  tuning- 
fork,  the  flute,  the  hautboy,  the  clarionet,  the 
bassoon,  etc.,  and,  chief  among  the  rest,  the  organ. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  time 
when  this  noble  instrument  was  initiated  into  the 
service  of  the  Church.  Some  fix  the  date  in  the 
fourth  century ;  some  in  the  eighth,  and  others 
contend  for  a  still  later  period.  The  following 
descrij)tion,  it  is  said,  was  written  one  thousand 
^5 


226 


THE  SKRVICE  OF  SONG. 


three  hundred  years  ago :  "  The  organ  is  an  instru- 
ment of  divers  pipes,  formed  with  a  kind  of  tower, 
which  by  means  of  bellows  is  made  to  produce 
a  low  sound  ;  and,  in  order  to  express  agreeable 
melodies,  there  are  in  the  inside,  movements  made 
of  wood,  that  are  pressed  down  with  the  finger  of 
the  player,  and  produce  the  most  pleasing  and 
brilliant  tones." 

Hirst  quotes  St.  Jerome's  assertion,  of  doubtful 
authority,  of  an  organ  with  twelve  pairs  of  bellows, 
which  might  be  heard  at  the  distance  of  nearly  a 
mile ;  and  another  at  Jerusalem  that  might  be 
heard  at  the  Mount  of  Olives.  It  is  said  that,  in 
A.  D.  757,  an  organ  was  presented  to  Pepin,  King 
of  France.  During  the  tenth  century,  the  use  of 
the  organ  became  general  in  Germany,  Italy,  and 
England,  but  differed  materially  from  the  organ 
of  our  day. 

A  few  centuries  ago,  the  rage  for  rigid  simpli- 
city banished  the  organ  from  Scotland,  designa- 
ting it  "  J'Ae  demVs  box  o'  loliistle  jpipes?'' 

The  first  organ  used  in  America,  if  we  are  cor- 
rectly informed,  was  imported  in  August,  1713,  by 
Thomas  Brattle,  Esq.,  for  Queen's  Chapel,  Boston. 
The  first  organ  of  American  manufacture  was 
built  by  Edward  Bromfield,  of  Boston,  in  the  year 
1745. 

Much  has  been  said,  jpro  and  con^  on  the  subject 
of  instrumental  music  in  Church  service  ;  some 
contending  that  instruments  should  be  used,  not 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


227 


alone,  but  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  voice; 
others  maintaining  that  the  music  should  be 
strictly  vocal. 

In  this  controversy,  "the  law  of  the  Lord"  is,  of 
course,  the  only  arbiter ;  but  a  wide  difference  of 
opinion  exists  as  to  what  the  Scriptures  teach  on 
the  subject,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  ex- 
tracts :  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  asks — "Did  ever  God 
ordain  instruments  of  music  to  be  used  in  His 
worship  ?  Can  they  be  used  in  Christian  assem- 
blies according  to  the  spirit  of  Christianity  ?  Has 
Jesus  Christ  or  His  Apostles  ever  commanded  or 
sanctioned  the  use  of  them  ?  Were  they  ever  used 
anywhere  in  the  Apostolic  Church?  Does  the 
use  of  them  at  present  in  Christian  congregations 
ever  increase  the  spirit  of  devotion  ?  Does  it  ever 
appear  that  bands  of  musicians,  either  in  their 
collective,  or  individual  capacity,  are  more  spirit- 
ual, or  as  spiritual  as  the  other  parts  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  ?  Is  there  not  more  pride,  self-will, 
stubbornness,  insubordination,  lightness  and  fri- 
volity, among  such  persons  than  among  other 
professors  of  Christianity  found  in  the  same 
religious  community?  Is  it  ever  remarked  or 
known,  that  musicians  in  the  house  of  God  have 
ever  attained  to  any  depth  of  piety,  or  superior 
soundness  of  understanding,  in  the  things  of  God  ? 
Is  it  ever  found  that  those  Churches  and  Chris- 
tian societies  which  have,  and  use  instruments  of 
music  in  Divine  worship,  are  more  holy,  or  as 


228 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


holy  as  those  societies  wlio  do  not  use  them? 
And  is  it  always  found  that  the  ministers  who 
recommend  them  to  be  used  in  the  worship  of 
God  are  the  most  spiritual  and  useful  preachers  ? 
Can  mere  sounds,  no  matter  how  melodious,  where 
no  sentiment  is  or  can  be  uttered,  be  considered 
as  giving  praise  to  God  ?  Is  it  possible  that  pipes 
or  strings  of  any  kind  can  give  God  praise  ?  Can 
God  be  praised  with  sounds  which  are  emitted  by 
no  sentient  being,  and  have  in  themselves  no 
meaning  ?  If  these  questions  can  not  be  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  then  is  not  the  introduction  of 
such  instruments  into  the  worship  of  God  anti- 
Christian  ;  calculated  to  debase  and  ruin  the  spirit 
and  influence  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  And 
should  not  all  who  wish  well  to  the  spread  of  pure 
and  undefiled  religion,  lift  up  their  hands,  their 
influence  and  their  voice  against  them?" 

The  pious  and  acute  Eichard  Baxter,  speaking 
of  music,  says  :  "It  is  not  an  instituted  ceremony 
merely,  but  a  natural  help  to  the  mind's  alacrity  ; 
and  it  is  a  duty,  and  not  a  sin,  to  use  the  help  of 
nature  and  lawful  art,  though  not  to  institute  sac- 
raments of  our  own.  As  it  is  lawful  to  use  the 
comfortable  help  of  spectacles  in  retiding  the 
Bible,  so  it  is  of  music,  to  exhilarate  the  soul  to- 
ward God.  Jesus  Christ  joined  the  Jews  in  the 
use  of  it,  and  never  spoke  a  v/ord  against  it.  .  .  . 
It  is  not  a  human  invention,  as  the  last  Psalm, 
and  many  others  show,  which  call  us  to  praise  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SO^^G. 


229 


Lord  witli  instruments  of  music.  Why  should 
the  experience  of  some  privileged,  self-created 
person,  or  half-man,  that  Tcnows  not  what  melq^dy 
is,  be  set  up  against  the  experience  of  all  others, 
and  deprive  them  of  all  such  helps  and  mercies, 
as  these  people  say  they  find  no  benefit  by  ?*' 

Dr.  Gouden,  bishop  of  Exeter,  who  lived  in  the 
time  of  both  the  Charleses,  says  :  ''Who  doubts 
but  that  David,  and  the  whole  Church  of  the  Jews, 
served  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  amid  those  joy- 
ful and  harmonious  sounds  which  they  made  with 
singers  and  instruments  of  music  ?  The  gift  and 
use  of  music  is  so  sweet,  so  angelical,  so  heaven- 
ly and  Divine,  that  it  is  a  pity  God  should  not 
have  the  use  of  it  in  His  service,  and  the  Church 
an  holy  and  comfortable  use  of  it.  Such  an 
orient  pearl  ought  not  to  be  used  only  in  civil 
conventions,  or  abused  in  wanton  carols  and  vain 
effusions,  which  is  to  put  a  jewel  in  a  swine's 
snout.  Certainly  the  Christian  Church  hath  more 
cause  to  rejoice  than  the  Jews  had." 

To  the  same  effect  are  the  sentiments  of  Bishop 
Horne,  Leigh  Richmond,  and  many  others  equally 
distinguished  for  piety  and  learning. 

"Instrumental  music,"  says  the  Rev.  Richard 
Watson,  "was  first  introduced  into  the  Jewish  ser- 
vice by  Moses,  and  afterward,  by  the  express 
command  of  God,  was  very  much  improved  by 
the  addition  of  several  instruments  in  the  reign  of 
David." 


230 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


The  introduction  of  instrumental  music  into  tlie 
Churcli  service  by  Moses,  was,  we  suppose,  more 
a  matter  of  inference  with  Mr.  Watson  than  of 
knowledge,  inasmuch  as  the  Scriptures  give  no 
definite  information  on  the  subject. 

As  to  the  conduct  of  David,  and  the  authority  un- 
der wliich  he  acted,  there  should  be  no  controversy. 
"  When  David  was  old  and  full  of  days,  he  made 
Solomon,  his  son,  king  of  Israel.  And  he  gathered 
together  all  the  princes  of  Israel,  with  the  priests, 
and  the  Levites,"  to  order  and  establish  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Sanctuary.  The  Levites  were  num- 
bered and  divided  into  companies,  and  to  each 
division,  appropriate  functions  were  assigned. 
Hence,  it  is  said  that  "four  thousand  praised  the 
Lord  with  their  instruments  which  I  made,  said 
David,  to  praise  therewith.  And  David  divided 
them  into  courses." 

That  David  was,  at  this  time,  a  good  man  and 
Divinely  inspired,  there  can  be  no  question ;  for 
when  Hezekiah  restored  the  temple  service  which 
had  been  neglected  during  his  predecessor's  reign, 
it  is  said  that  "he  set  the  Levites  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  with  cymbals,  with  psalteries  and  with 
harps,  according  to  the  commandment  ©f  David, 
and  of  Grad  the  king's  seer,  and  I^athan  the  pro- 
phet, for  so  was  the  commandment  of  the  Lord 
by  His  prophets."  It  is,  therefore,  evident  that 
David,  in  making  his  arrangement  for  instrumen- 
tal music,  acted  as  a  man  of  God,  under  Divine 


THE  ski: VICE  OF  SONG. 


231 


direction,  with  the  concuiTeiice  of  "Gad  the  king's 
seer,  and  Nathan  the  prophet."  The  criticism 
by  which  it  is  attempted  to  be  shown  that  David 
acted  on  his  own  responsibility  in  this  matter,  and 
against  the  Divine  will,  is  utterly  futile. 

The  supposition  that  the  prophet  Amos  cen- 
sures David  for  the  introduction  of  musical  instru- 
ments into  the  Church,  is  almost  too  improbable 
to  deserve  notice,  and  especially  as  the  author, 
who  thus  construes  the  w^ords  of  the  prophet, 
quotes  with  approbation  the  following  eulogy  on 
David,  w^ritten  by  Mr.  Delaney :  "To  sum  up  all, 
David  was  a  true  believer,  a  zealous  adorer  of 
God,  teacher  of  His  law  and  worship,  and  inspir- 
er  of  His  praise.  A  glorious  example,  a  perpet- 
ual and  inexhaustible  fountain  of  true  piety.  A 
consummate  and  unequaled  hero ;  a  skilful  and 
fortunate  captain ;  a  steady  patriot ;  a  wise  ruler  ; 
a  faithful,  generous  and  magnanimous  friend,  and, 
what  is  yet  rarer,  a  no  less  generous  and  magnan- 
imous enemy.  A  true  penitent ;  a  Divine  musi- 
cian ;  a  sublime  poet,  and  an  inspired  prophet. 
By  birth,  £i peasant ;  by  merit,  a  'prince  ;  in  youth 
^liero;  in  manhood,  a  monarclt;  and  in  age,  a 
saint. 

Among  the  last  acts  of  David's  life,  was  this  or- 
dering of  instrumental  music  in  the  Sanctuary. 
This  was  done  in  his  old  age,  v.  hen  he  w^as  a 
saint.  How,  then,  could  he  have  contravened  the 
Divine  will  in  a  matter  of  so  much  importance  ? 


232 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


The  passage  in  the  book  of  Amos,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  reprehensive  of  the  conduct  of 
David  in  regard  to  musical  instruments,  was  writ- 
ten more  than  two  hundred  years  after  David  had 
entered  into  rest,  and  by  no  means  requires  an 
interpretation  which  would  censure  the  "sweet 
Psalmist." 

The  prophet  addresses  the  unfaitliful  Israelites 
as  follows  :  "Ye  that  lie  upon  beds  of  ivory,  and 
stretch  themselves  upon  their  couches,  and  eat 
the  lambs  of  the  flock,  and  the  calves  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  stall ;  that  chant  to  the  sound  of  the 
viol  and  invent  to  themselves  instruments  of  music 
like  David ;  that  drink  wine  in  bowls,  and  anoint 
themselves  with  the  chief  ointments ;  but  they  are 
not  grieved  for  the  affliction  of  Joseph." — Amos 
vi.  4-6. 

"This  is  an  elegant  description  of  the  bad  use 
men  too  often  make  of  a  plentiful  fortune ;  so 
that  it  shuts  out  all  serious  consideration,  and 
makes  them  void  of  compassion  toward  persons 
in  want  and  misery,  and  to  regard  nothing  but 

their  present  gratification  Who,  though 

but  private  persons,  make  use  of  all  munner  of 
musical  instruments  the  same  as  David  did  when 
he  was  a  king ;  and  employ  as  great  a  variety  of 
music  for  their  own  diversion  as  he  did  in  the 
service  of  God."'^ 

*Benson. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


233 


This  is  certainly  a  reasonable  exposition,  and 
should,  it  would  seem,  "be  satisfactory  to  all. 

Moreover,  if  this  official  act  of  David  was  un- 
authorized, may  not  other  ordinances  of  his  fall 
under  condemnation  ;  and  if  his  conduct  in  a  case 
of  this  sort  was  reprehensible,  how  can  his  writ- 
ings be  received  as  infallible  truth  ? 

Again,  the  use  of  instrumental  music  is  incul- 
cated by  others  of  the  inspired  writers  besides 
David.    Are  they,  also,  to  be  censured  ? 

David  sinned  grievously,  it  is  true,  on  a  certain 
occasion,  but  he  sincerely  repented  and  obtained 
forgiveness.  There  is  not,  as  we  conceive,  the 
slightest  ground  for  the  insinuation  that  he  trans- 
gressed in  the  arrangement  of  the  temple  service 
just  as  he  was  about  to  fall  on  sleep^  after  having 
"served  his  generation  by  the  will  of  God."  We 
reach  the  conclusion,  therefore,  that  instrumental 
music,  in  connection  with  vocal,  was  used  in  the 
service  of  God  in  the  olden  time  with  Divine  ap- 
probation. 

The  question,  then,  arises  as  to  its  lawfulness 
and  expediency  under  the  Christian  dispensation. 
On  this  subject,  nothing  was  said,  so  far  as  we 
know,  either  by  Christ  or  his  Apostles. 

"After  the  most  diligent  inquiry,"  says  the 
learned  Dr.  Burney,  "  concerning  the  time  when 
instruments  of  music  had  admission  into  the 
ecclesiastical  service,  there  is  reason  to  conclude 
that,  before  the  reign  of  Constantine,  as  the  con- 


234 


THE  SEllVICE  OF  SONG. 


verts  of  the  Christian  religion  were  subject  to 
frequent  persecutions  and  disturbances  in  their 
devotions,  the  use  of  instruments  would  hardly 
have  been  allowed ;  and,  by  all  that  can  be  col- 
lected from  the  writings  of  the  primitive  Christians, 
they  seem  never  to  have  been  admitted.  But  after 
the  full  establishment  of  Christianity  as  the  na- 
tional religion  of  the  Roman  Empire,  they  were 
used  in  great  festivals,  in  imitation  of  the  He- 
brews, as  well  as  pagans,  who,  at  all  times,  have 
accompanied  their  psalms,  hymns,  and  religious 
rites,  with  instruments  of  music." 

Why  this  silence  of  the  'New  Testament  writers, 
and  this  abstinence  from  the  use  of  instrumental 
music  for  sacred  purposes  in  the  early  ages  of  the 
Christian  Church  ?  Was  it  a  legal  ceremony,  in- 
stituted by  Moses,  and  abolished  when  the  gospel 
dispensation  was  initiated?  We  think  not.  In- 
strumental music  was  devoted  to  religious  uses 
before  the  giving  of  the  law.  Miriam  the  proph- 
etess, the  sister  of  Aaron,  to  celebrate  the  deliver- 
ance from  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptians,  ^ook  a 
timbrel  in  her  hand,  and  the  women  went  out  after 
her  with  timbrels  and  dances."  Therefore,  the 
custom  not  having  been  introduced  ^by  the  cere- 
monial law,  it  is  not  conclusive  that  it  was  abol- 
ished when  that  law  was  abrogated. 

Many  of  the  forms  and  postures  adopted  in 
Divine  service  under  the  former  dispensation  are 
still  continued ;  why,  then,  may  not  this  mode  of 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


235 


praising  God  be  allowed  ?  If  it  were  an  arbitrary 
and  harsh  enactment  which  derived  all  its  value 
simply  from  the  appointment  of  God,  and  sub- 
mission to  His  authority,  some  would  think  it 
might  be  discontinued  without  a  special  revoca- 
tion. But  this  is  not  the  case.  Good  music, 
whether  vocal  or  instrumental,  charms  the  ear, 
and  can  not  be  regarded  as  a  burden,  either  to  the 
performer  or  the  listener. 

We  hold  that  vocal  music  partakes  as  much  of 
a  typical  character  as  does  instrumental  music, 
and  that  neither  was  ever  intended  to  be  em- 
blematical of  anything  but  the  praises  of  God  in 
heaven.  The  argument,  then,  which  would  exclude 
the  one  on  the  ground  of  its  being  a  Levitical  cere- 
mony, would  also  abolish  the  other.  Of  what 
good  thing  under  the  Christian  dispensation  could 
instrumental  music  have  been  typical  ? 

The  silence  of  Christ  and  His  Apostles  may,  as 
we  conceive,  be  appropriately  urged  in  favor  of  its 
legitimacy  in  the  present  day.  The  gospel  was  first 
preached  to  the  Jews.  The  xVpostles  sometimes 
worshiped  in  sjmagogues ;  but  we  have  no  inti- 
mation that  the  use  of  instruments  of  music  in  the 
worship  of  God  as  it  obtained  in  the  synagogue 
service  was  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  Christianity. 

When  St.  John  was  permitted  to  listen  to  the 
songs  of  the  celestial  choir,  he  heard  "  the  voice 
of  harpers,  harping  with  their  harps."  Why,  then, 
should  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  be  represented 


236  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

as  doing  that  wliicli  is  not  proper  to  be  done  on 
earth  ? 

It  may  be  said  that  this  is  figurative  language, 
and  that  a  literal  harping  is  not  meant.  But  if 
instrumental  music  be  so  utterly  unsuited  to  the 
purposes  of  worship  as  some  imagine,  it  is  strange, 
indeed,  that  it  should  be  made  the  emblem  of 
Divine  worship  on  high. 

Inasmuch,  therefore,  as  instrumental  music  was 
allowed  in  the  Church  service  by  Divine  authority, 
and  inasmuch  as  this  grant  has  never  been  revoked 
by  the  Head  of  the  Church,  therefore,  it  is  still 
lawful  to  use  instruments  as  aids  to  devotion. 

The  question,  then,  becomes  one  of  expediency 
simply.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Christian  to  reject 
whatever  is  of  evil  tendency,  and  to  cherish  what- 
ever is  calculated  to  advance  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  without  demanding  in  every  case  ex- 
press Scriptural  warrant.  Many  things  are  lawful 
which  are  not  expedient,  and  that  which  was  ex- 
pedient in  days  gone  by  may  now  be  inexpedient. 
The  great  general  principle  which  is  applicable  to 
all  times  and  places  is  thus  enunciated  by  the 
Apostle  :  "  Whether,  therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink,  or 
whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 
We  are  as  sacredly  bound  to  refrain  from  that 
which  is  inexpedient  as  we  are  to  eschew  what  is 
positively  forbidden  in  the  Scriptures.  Without 
putting  it  into  the  category  of  merely  legal  cere- 
monies, there  were,  doubtless,  reasons  for  its  em- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


237 


ployment  under  tlie  Jewish  dispensation  wliich  do 
not  now  exist.  In  former  times,  Jerusalem  was 
the  great  metropolitan  city  of  the  Church,  and  the 
temple  was  the  grand  rallying  point  for  believers 
throughout  the  world.  Immense  multitudes  were 
here  assembled,  from  time  to  time ;  and,  as  much 
of  the  singing  was  responsive,  thousands  of  voices 
joining  in  the  burden  or  refrain  at  the  appropriate 
instant  in  the  exercises,  instruments  may  have 
been  needed  to  control  the  immense  mass  of 
sound. 

Again,  under  the  former  dispensiition,  the  senses 
were  more  directly  appealed  to  than  they  are 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Christian  Church.  Then 
it  was  meet,  not  only  that  the  eye  should  be  daz- 
zled by  a  gorgeously  ornamented  sanctuary,  but 
also  that  the  ear  should  be  charmed  with  instru- 
mental, as  well  as  vocal  music.  Now,  although 
the  use  of  instruments  is  not  forbidden,  yet  it  is 
thought  by  many  that  the  human  voice  unaccom- 
panied best  befits  the  simplicity  and  spirituality 
of  the  gospel. 

The  following  judicious  advice  was  long  ago 
given  to  the  Methodists  by  John  Wesley :  "Let 
no  organ  be  placed  anywhere  till  proposed  in  the 
Conference."  This  distinguished  minister  of  Christ 
believed  in  the  legitimacy  of  instrumental  music 
in  Divine  w^orship,  even  in  these  latter  times ; 
otherwise  he  would  have  uttered  an  emphatic  voice 
against  it.    The  Conference  could  not  have  legal- 


238 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


izecl  that  wliich  was  forbidden  in  the  Scriptures. 
Still,  as  the  l^ew  Testament  evidently  does  not 
require  the  use  of  organs,  and  as  many  of  the 
people  were  opposed  to  them,  precipitate  and 
arbitrary  measures  in  the  premises  could  only  do 
harm.  It  was  inexpedient  to  introduce  organs 
into  the  churches  until  the  prejudices  against 
them  were,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Conference, 
sufficiently  allayed  to  admit  of  their  favorable 
reception. 

In  the  year  1811,  there  was  some  controversy  in 
Liverpool  in  regard  to  organs  in  two  of  the 
churches  in  that  city.  The  question  was  discussed 
in  the  Wesleyan  Conference  ;  the  introduction  of 
organs  into  both  churches  was  sanctioned,  and  no 
mischief  followed. 

Dr.  Lowell  Mason  says:  "A  judicious  accom- 
paniment seems  to  be  indispensable  to  complete 
success.  Such  an  accompaniment  guides,  sustains, 
strengthens,  and  relieves  the  vocal  parts.  It  pro- 
motes good  tone  and  correct  intonation,  and  ren- 
ders vocal  music  pleasing  and  effective.  But  the 
art  of  accompaniment  seems  to  be  as  little  under- 
stood and  as  much  abused  by  instrumentalists  as 
is  the  art  of  singing  by  vocalists." 

"  The  organ,"  says  the  Hev.  J.  R.  Scott,  "  not 
only  adds  sweetness,  variety,  and  compass  to  the 
song,  but  is  highly  useful  in  sustaining  the  singers' 
voices,  promoting  accuracy  of  jjitch  and  time.  .  .  . 
Only  let  its  effect  be,  not  to  smother  and  overpower, 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


239 


but  to  enhance  the  force  of  the  sentiment  sung." 

We  freely  admit  that  the  highest  degree  of 
musical  gratification  can  not  be  afforded  without 
the  aid  of  instruments ;  but  we  contend,  neverthe- 
less, that  in  congregational  singing,  "  complete 
success  "  may  be  achieved  without  them.  We  are 
by  no  means  disposed  to  admit  that  the  best  effect 
of  the  service  of  song  can  only  be  realized  when 
the  music  is  faultless,  or  when  its  charms  are  such 
as  to  lead  ns  captive. 

A  high  authority  says :  "Music  is  an  exceedingly 
absorbing  thing;  and,  particularly  in  its  more 
embellished  and  elaborate  form,  it  naturally  with- 
draws attention  from  all  else,  even  from  the  words 
associated  with  it,  and  concentrates  the  mind  upon 
itself." 

An  American  traveler  in  Germany,  a  few  years 
since,  asked,  in  w^hat  Church  he  could  find  the  best 
music.  The  answer  was :  "  There  is  no  music 
here,  except  once  or  twice  a  year,  on  the  occasion 
of  some  great  festival."  "But,  do  not  the  people 
sing  in  Church  ?"  "  0,  yes ;  they  sing  hymns,  but 
there  is  no  music." 

Here  was  a  clear  distinction  between  mere  mu- 
sical enjoyment  and  the  praise  of  God  in  song. 
In  all  our  meditations  upon  this  subject,  let  the 
idea  of  worship  be  prominent.  Congregational 
singing  should,  of  course,  be  good ;  it  should 
please  the  ear,  inform  the  mind,  and  affect  the 
heart.    It  should  always  appropriately  embody 


240 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SO^^G. 


the  sentiment,  and  this,  we  think,  can  be  success- 
fully done  by  the  voice  alone. 

A  chorister  whose  talent,  knowledge,  and  ex- 
perience, will  not  enable  him  to  pitch  the  tune 
correctly  without  adventitious  aids,  had  better 
give  place  to  a  more  competent  leader.  A  con- 
gregation of  worshipers  who  can  not  maintain  the 
proper  key,  or  a  correct  intonation,  through  the 
tune,  especially  when  assisted  by  a  well  trained 
choir  placed  in  their  midst,  had  better  give  atten- 
tion to  the  rudiments  of  music ;  or,  if  they  will 
be  patient,  practice  alone  will  enable  them  to 
overcome  many  difficulties.  Who  of  us  has  not 
frequently  heard  melodious,  harmonious,  soul- 
stirring  singing — singing  that  was  in  the  highest 
degree  effective — where  there  was  no  instrumental 
accompaniment  ? 

It  is  said  that  "  a  good  organ  may  be  made  an 
invaluable  aid  to  congregational  singing,  as  is 
proved  all  over  the  continent  of  Europe,  where  the 
most  majestic  music  is  made  by  the  people  follow- 
ing the  lead  of  the  organ,  and  frequently  without 
the  help  of  a  choir." 

We  suppose  that  Germany  is  here  especially 
referred  to.  All  that  can  be  affirmed  by  our 
author  is,  that  where  musical  education  prevails, 
the  people  sing  well  with  the  aid  of  an  organ. 
We  will  here  take  the  responsibility  of  affirming, 
that,  where  the  people  are  musically  educated, 
they  can  sing  well  loithout  the  help  of  an  instru- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


241 


ment.  We  thus  reach  the  conclusion  that  an  in- 
strument is  not  indispensably  necessary. 

A  great  difficulty  lies  in  the  fact  that,  in  America 
especially,  musical  education  has  been  too  much 
ignored.  Hence,  in  procuring  organists,  and  other 
instrumental  performers,  the  Churches  frequently 
have  recourse  to  the  opera  or  the  theatre !  To 
mention  the  custom  is  to  condemn  it. 

To  show  what  likelihood  there  is  of  obtaining 
for  the  Churches  suitable  performers,  we  give  the 
following  portrait  of  a  good  organist :  "  An  ability 
to  play  well  is  not  the  only  qualification  needed 
in  an  organist.  He  should  be  a  pious  man,  or  at 
least  one  who  has  a  deep  sense  of  the  solemnity 
of  public  worship.  He  should  be  a  man  of  quick 
sensibility,  or  he  will  neither  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  the  words  sung,  nor  of  the  other  exercises.  He 
must  be  a  man  of  good  judgment,  or  he  will  make 
the  most  fatal  mistakes  in  accompanying  such 
hymns  as  call  forth,  in  difi'erent  stanzas,  emotions 
of  a  different  character.  He  should  understand 
the  nature  of  his  instrument  and  the  object  of  its 
introduction  into  the  Church,  as  an  accompani- 
ment to  the  voices — subservient  to  vocal  effect,  or 
rather  designed  to  promote  it.  Were  such  organ- 
ists employed,  there  would  be  fewer  complaints 
of  loud  and  meaningless  playing — of  long,  flour- 
ishing and  fanciful  interludes,  foreign  to  the  sub- 
ject, and  unfit  for  the  Church." 

The  organ  is  too  large  and  too  expensive  for 
i6 


242 


TIIK  SKTIVICE  OF  SOTsTG. 


most  of  tlie  Churches  in  America,  and  hence,  the 
temptation  to  introduce  smaller  instruments  of 
various  sorts.  The  historian  exhibits  to  us  the 
unhappy  results  of  such  a  state  of  things.  Going 
back  thirty  years  from  the  present  to  scenes  which 
he  witnessed  in  some  churches  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  he  says,  after  speaking  of  the  clarionet, 
bassoon,  hautboy,  etc.,  that  "to  tune  the  bass- 
viol  with  these  variable  instruments  caused  much 
necessary,  and  more  unnecessary  sawing  and  snap- 
ping of  strings  and  squeaking  of  the  wind  instru- 
ments, to  the  no  small  annoyance  of  hearers  

This  exercise  of  tuning  could  be  borne  with,  for 
once,  at  the  commencement  of  worship ;  but  this 
was  not  the  end — they  must  be  tried  and  proved 

before  each  singing  Soon  there  came  a 

struggle  between  voices  and  instruments,  and  the 
instruments  struggled  fcr  mastery  among  them- 
selves .....  The  strings  of  the  double-bass, 
when  that  was  introduced,  must  be  sawed  with 
such  violence  that  the  crash  of  the  string  on  the 
finger-board  made  a  more  conspicuous  noise  than 
the  vibration.  This  display,  added  to  the  tuning 
of  the  instruments,  while  the  minister  was  read- 
ing the  hymn,  if  not  during  other  services,  must 
have  been  of  wonderful  assistance  to  his  devotional 
feelings ! " 

It  is  admitted  by  some  that  the  organ  is  un- 
suited  to  times  of  revival,  social  religious  meet- 
ings, and  sacramental  services.    At  such  seasons, 


THE  SEIiVICE  OF  SONG. 


243 


Christians  are  wont  to  dispense  with  all  unneces- 
sary forms,  that  they  may  worship  God  with  that 
earnestness,  simplicity,  and  faith  which  bring 
blessings  upon  the  soul.  But  why  should  not  this 
same  fervor  of  spirit  always  characterize  believers 
when  they  enter  the  Sanctuary  ?  "  God  is  a  Spirit, 
and  they  that  worship  Him  must  worship  Him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth."  In  the  great  congregation, 
let  the  hearts  of  the  faithful  be  so  fired  with  a 
holy  zeal  as  to  send  out  a  genial  warmth  upon  the 
entire  assembly.  Interludes  and  voluntaries  on 
the  organ,  and  the  general  predominance  of  sound 
over  sentiment,  tend  to  cool  the  ardor  of  devotion. 
Divine  service  must  have  its  forms,  even  under 
this  dispensation  of  the  Spirit;  but  dalliance 
and  parade  in  the  service  should  be  avoided. 
The  multitude,  it  is  true,  should  be  attracted,  but 
not  with  gorgeous  displays  and  merely  sensuous 
enj oyments.  There  is  that  in  ^''newness  of  spirit " 
which  will  more  favorably,  and  more  powerfully 
impress  the  popular  heart  than  all  the  parapher- 
nalia that  art  can  devise. 

It  is  contended  by  many  judicious  and  faithful 
members  of  the  Church  that,  while  we  should  reso- 
lutely oppose  the  use  of  unbecoming  forms  and 
ceremonies  in  religious  services,  it  is,  nevertheless, 
our  duty  to  make  the  worship  as  pleasing  and  at- 
tractive as  its  peculiar  nature  will  allow.  It  is 
urged  that  the  effect  of  instrumental  music,  espe- 
cially upon  the  young,  is  most  beneficial ;  and  that 


244  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

it  is  our  duty  to  use  all  legitimate  means  to  attach, 
tliem  to  that  Churcli  wliich  we  prefer.  The  church 
edifice  should  be  neat  and  imposing ;  the  preach- 
ing should  not  only  be  evangelical,  but  popular ; 
and  the  music  in  the  churcli  should  be  such  as  to 
edify  and  satisfy  persons  whose  taste  has  been 
properly  directed  and  cultivated. 

Moreover,  the  cabinet  organs,  so  much,  and 
so  successfully  used  in  many  of  the  smaller 
churches  throughout  the  country,  render  nuga- 
tory much  that  has  been  said  in  regard  to 
the  difficulty  of  procuring  proper  organists ; 
inasmuch  as  there  are,  in  most  places,  ladies  con- 
nected with  the  Church  who  are  competent  and 
willing  to  perform  on  these  instruments.  Experi- 
ence, too,  has  done  much  tov/ard  meeting  the  ob- 
jections which  have  been  urged  against  the  use 
of  instrumental  music  in  the  Church.  With  the 
most  determined  opposers,  one  year's  probation 
is  often  sufficient  to  extirpate  prejudice,  and  to 
enroll  them  with  the  advocates  of  the  organ. 

In  many  churches,  the  introduction  of  an  instru- 
ment would  evidently  be  inexpedient ;  but  where 
circumstances  favor,  we  are  inclined  to  the  opinion 
that  there  should  be,  as  the  best  arrangement  pos- 
sible, an  organ  and  a  choir  to  lead  in  the  song ; 
and  that  all  the  people  should  stand  up  with  book 
in  hand,  containing  both  the  words  and  the  notes, 
that  they  may  unite  in  the  singing,  understand- 
ingly,  heartily,  spiritually. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


245 


CHAPTER  YI. 

S  PI  KIT  UAL  SINGING. 

The  Young  Convert  —  Are  we  Prepared  to  Sing  in  Heaven  — 
Indifference  —  The  Psalmist  Praised  God  Heartily  —  Ardor  of 
the  Apostles  and  Early  Christians  —  Heartfelt  Song  should 
Celebrate  the  later  Triumphs  of  the  Cross  —  Formality  in  Sing- 
ing the  Great  Evil  —  Science  in  Singing  should  be  Recognized 

The  question  still  recurs — How  should  we  sing  ? 
The  answer  is — with  a  reverential,  believing,  lov- 
ing, joyful,  thankful  heart.  TVhile  the  carnal 
mind  has  dominion  over  us,  we  can  not  properly 
praise  God.  YTe  may  hear  the  gospel,  and  sing 
and  pray,  as  the  means  of  conversion ;  but  we  can 
not  perform  acts  of  worship  while  the  heart  is  un- 
changed. We  must  wait  patiently  for  the  Lord ; 
we  must  cry  unto  Him ;  He  must  take  our  feet  out 
of  the  horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  us 
upon  a  rock.  Then  it  is  that  we  are  prepared 
to  sing  the  "  new  song."  The  young  convert  lifts 
np  his  voice  and  exclaims,  "  0  Lord,  I  will  praise 
Thee :  though  thou  wast  angry  with  me,  Thine 
anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me. 
Behold,  God  is  my  salvation ;  I  will  trust,  and  not 
be  afraid ;  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength 
and  song ;  He  also  is  become  my  salvation." 

Do  we  possess  the  spirit  of  praise  ?    This  is  the 


2-16 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


important  question  wliicli  each  one  of  us  should 
propound  to  his  own  heart.  This  glad,  enraptur- 
ing spirit  animates  all  the  heavenly  hosts ;  and, 
on  earth,  it  fires  the  souls  of  all  who  are  traveling 
to  Zion.  It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  destitution 
of  this  spirit  of  adoring  love  furnishes  just  cause 
for  alarm.  If  we  are  unprepared  to  unite  in  the 
worship- song  in  houses  made  with  hands,  how 
shall  we  unite  with  the  millions  who  throng  the 
courts  of  the  upper  Sanctuary  ?  What  though  our 
Heavenly  Father  looked  in  boundless  compassion 
upon  our  fallen  race;  what  though  Jesus  our 
Savior  died  on  the  Cross  for  the  sins  of  the  world ; 
what  though  the  Comforter  has  come  to  abide 
with  the  Church;  what  though  the  Bible,  the 
preached  word,  the  sacraments,  and  the  influence 
of  holy  example,  are  all  ours ;  what  though  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem  stands  in  imperishable  beauty 
and  grandeur,  with  her  jeweled  walls,  her  gates 
of  pearl,  her  trees  perennially  green  and  fruitful, 
her  flowers  of  immortal  fragrance,  her  azure  skies, 
her  Sun  that  never  goes  down,  and  her  countless 
companies  of  shining,  rejoicing  worshipers,  with 
their  everlasting  songs  of  celestial  sweetness — it  is 
plain  that  we  never  can  enter  there  without  hearts 
attuned  to  praise. 

Having  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  we  must 
hold  constant  communion  with  God,  that  we  may 
be  prepared  to  worship  Him  in  this  life  and  in 
that  which  is  to  come. 


TUK  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


247 


Prayer  and  praise  must  be  conjoined.  ''O  Lord, 
open  Thou  our  lips,  and  our  moutli  shall  show 
forth  Thy  praise." 

It  is  painful  to  see  the  indifference  whicli  is  fre- 
quently manifested  by  many  who  profess  to  be 
worshipers.  Hear  Him  who  abhors  a  soulless 
offering :  "  This  people  draw  near  to  Me  with  their 
mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honor  Me,  but  have 
removed  their  heart  far  from  Me."  Hear  Him 
speaking  to  the  careless  formalist :  "  Take  thou 
away  from  Me  the  noise  of  thy  songs ;  for  I  will 
not  hear  the  melody  of  tliy  viols." 

"  God  is  a  Spirit  just  and  wise, 
He  sees  our  inmost  mind; 
In  vain  to  heaven  we  raise  our  cries, 
And  leave  our  souls  behind." 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  that  a  good  singer,  who 
has  not  the  life  of  God  in  his  soul,  is  vox  etprceterea 
niliil.'^  But  another  author  thinks  there  is  some- 
thing more,  and  reminds  us  that  whatsoever  is 
not  of  faith  is  sin." 

Singing  is  a  highly  expressive  art ;  it  purports 
to  be  the  outgushing  of  the  soul.  Therefore,  sing- 
ing which  has  no  emotion  in  it  is  evidently  a  cold 
and  barren  failure. 

"We  need  scarcely  remark  that  in  every  attempt 
to  worship  God,  there  should  be  a  vivid  conscious- 
ness of  the  solemnity  and  importance  of  the  act ; 
that  thoughts  of  business  or  of  pleasure,  thoughts 

*  A  voice,  and  besides  it — nothing. 


248 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


of  the  multitude  who  may  be  present,  thoughts 
of  the  elegance  of  the  poetry,  or  the  excellence 
of  the  music — all  thoughts  of  all  things — should 
be  swallowed  up  in  the  great  thought  that  God  is 
in  us  and  around  us,  and  that  He  is  infinitely 
worthy  of  our  adoration. 

We  are  to  be  "  rooted  and  grounded  in  love." 
Love  is  the  genial  soil  from  which  are  to  spring 
the  sweet  flowers  and  wholesome  fruits  of  obedi- 
ence and  resignation,  gratitude  and  joy.  It  is 
love  which  animates  the  angels  and  the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect,  in  their  ceaseless 
songs  around  the  throne.  "  The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us,"  is  the  experience  of  all  the 
faithful  on  earth;  and  without  love,  or  the  de- 
sire for  it,  all  our  singing  is  but  "as  sounding 
brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal ;"  a  noise  which  God 
would  have  removed  from  Him. 

How  repeatedly  and  emphatically  do  the  Scrip- 
tures denounce  a  merely  formal  religion !  How 
urgently  do  they  inculcate  the  -necessity  of  holi- 
ness of  heart,  and  fervency  of  spirit !  If  we  our- 
selves demand  hearty  sincerity  in  the  thanks 
which  are  ofi*ered  to  us  for  the  favors  we  confer, 
how  much  more  has  God  a  right  to  require  us  to 
worship  Him  "  in  spirit  and  in  truth  !" 

The  "  monarch  minstrel"  sang  and  worshiped 
with  seraphic  ardor. 

Hear  the  Psalmist  as  he  exclaims :  "  I  will  praise 
Thee,  O  Lord,  with  my  whole  heart." 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


249 


"  I  will  praise  Thee  with  all  my  heart." 

"  Glory  ye  in  His  holy  name ;  let  the  heart  of 
them  rejoice  that  seek  the  Lord." 

"  Serve  the  Lord  with  joy  fulness,  and  with 
gladness  of  heart." 

"  O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed  ;  I  will  sing  and  give 
praise  even  w^ith  my  glory." 

"  I  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  Thee  :  I  will  sing 
praise  to  Thy  name,  O  Thou  most  high." 

''Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is 
within  me,  bless  His  holy  name." 

"  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  as  long  as  I  live :  I 
will  sing  praises  unto  my  God  while  I  have  any 
being." 

The  apostles  would  also  lead  us  into  the  experi- 
ence of  this  same  glowing  love,  transporting  joy, 
and  exultant  hope  :  "  Be  filled  with  the  Spirit  " — 
''making  melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord" — 
"  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all 
wisdom  " — "  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to 
the  Lord" — "I  will  pray  with  the  spirit,  and  I  w^ill 
pray  with  the  understanding  also  :  I  will  sing  with 
the  spirit,  and  I  will  sing  with  the  understanding 
also." 

"  Without  Me,"  says  the  Savior,  "  ye  can  do 
nothing.  If  we  would  pray,  "the  Spirit  of  grace 
and  supplications  "  must  be  poured  out  upon  us. 
"  The  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities."  So,  if  we 
would  sing  acceptably,  this  same  Holy  Spirit  must 
excite  within  us  ardent  desires  and  grateful  emo- 


250 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


tions.  God  will  assuredly  accept  tlie  sacrifice 
wMcli  Himself  moves  us  to  offer. 

The  spirit  of  the  apostles  and  the  primitive 
Christians  was  a  loving,  jubilant  spirit.  Though 
beaten  with  stripes,  stoned,  imprisoned,  banished 
to  dreary  solitudes,  counted  "  the  filth  and  off- 
scouring  of  all  things,"  expecting  to  lay  down 
their  lives  for  the  truth ;  yet,  forbearing  to  mur- 
mur, they  wandered  over  the  world  sowing  precious 
seed,  "rejoicing  that  they  were  counted  worthy 
to  suffer  such  things,"  and,  with  ecstatic  songs, 
antedating  their  arrival  at  their  Father's  house. 
With  them  praise  was  liahitual. 

The  twelve  gazed  steadfastly  into  heaven  as  long 
as  they  could  see  aught  of  the  radiant  cloud- chariot 
which  conducted  their  ascending  Lord  to  His 
home  of  glory ;  and  having  received  the  promise 
of  His  second  advent,  they  returned  to  Jerusalem 
with  joy,  and  "were  continually  in  the  temple, 
praising  and  blessing  God." 

The  disciples,  after  the  Pentecostal  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit,  "  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness 
and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God." 

This  same  rapturous  spirit  should  characterize 
all  Christians  in  the  present  day.  The  Comforter 
has  come  to  abide  with  believers  forever.  Vital 
Christianity  is  shedding  its  cheering  light  upon 
the  dark  places  of  the  earth.  False  religions  are 
tottering  to  their  fall.  Judaism,  Romanism,  Pa- 
ganism, and  Mohammedanism, are  all  dying  of  in- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


251 


herent  weakness  and  old  age  ;  while  pure  religion, 
in  youthful  vigor,  and  with  gigantic  strides, 
marches  on  to  conquest,  and  by  faith  sees — 

**  Her  flag  on  every  height  unfurl'd; 

Her  morning  drum  beat  round  the  world." 

In  this  glad  day  of  holy  triumph,  shall  Christian 
zeal  abate,  or  Christian  courage  fail?  Shall  a 
deadly  paralysis  seize  the  Church  just  as  the 
trumpet- tongued  voice  of  victory  is  about  to  startle 
the  universe  with  its  echoes  ?  Surely  Emmanuel's 
hosts  will  march  valiantly  forth  to  the  great  de- 
cisive conflict.  This  is  the  day  which  Abraham 
saw  and  was  glad,  and  shall  not  our  hearts  burn 
within  us  ?  and  shall  not  our  songs  herald  forth 
our  irrepressible  joy  ?  With  all  our  sins  and  sor- 
rows, this  is  a  bright  and  glorious  era,  and  the 
hosannas  of  believers  should  be  correspondingly 
rapturous. 

In  the  Methodist  Discipline,  the  question  has 
long  been  asked — "  How  shall  we  guard  against 
formality  in  singing  ? "  And  the  several  items  of 
direction  quoted  in  a  former  chapter  from  the  Disci- 
pline, are  all  given  in  answer  to  this  important 
question.  The  Church  justly  concludes  that  for- 
mality effectually  vitiates  the  service — that  while 
the  faults  in  our  congregational  singing  may  be 
numerous  and  grievous,  the  great  fault,  and  the 
one  which  embraces  all  others,  is  formality.  The 
question  is  now  as  pertinent,  and  as  worthy  of 
consideration,  as  it  ever  was.    Let  us,  i.  e.,  both 


252 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


tlie  writer  and  the  reader,  ask  ourselves — "How 
may  we  guard  against  formality  in  singing?" 

The  following  is  especially  worthy  of  considera- 
tion :  "  Do  not  suffer  the  people  to  sing  too 
slow.  This  naturally  tends  to  formality,  and  is 
brought  in  by  those  who  have  either  very  strong 
or  very  weak  voices." 

Those  who  have  very  strong  voices  are,  of  course, 
able  to  overpower  the  rest  of  the  singers,  and  to  lead 
them  at  will.  It  is  not  unfrequently  the  case  that 
great  strength  and  great  indolence  meet  together 
in  the  same  individual.  Persons  whose  voices  are 
very  weak  are  but  too  prone  to  lag  behind,  and 
the  etFect  is  to  produce  coldness,  heaviness,  dull- 
ness. They  retard  the  song,  as  invalids  hanging 
upon  the  rear  of  an  army  impede  the  progress  of 
the  advancing  hosts. 

Slow  singing  is  sometimes  the  cause,  and  some- 
times the  effect  of  formality,  and  obtains  in  many 
of  our  churches,  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  wor- 
shipers. There  is  in  us  a  natural  disposition  to 
be  at  ease — to  take  our  time — and  this  habitual 
laziness  too  often  pervades  and  ruins  our  devo- 
tions. 

Here  let  science  be  recognized  as  the  handmaid 
of  religion.  While  thoughtless  rapidity  is  to  be 
avoided,  let  us  carefully  eschew  a  dozy,  drawling 
style  of  singing.  We  hesitate  not  to  affirm  that 
incalculable  advantage  would  result  to  the  Ameri- 
can Churches  by  the  banishment  of  this  pernicious 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


253 


custom  of  tardy  singing,  and  the  observance  of 
the  time  which  marks  the  productions  of  scientific 
composers.  A  great  reform  is  needed  at  this 
point,  and  blessings  will  be  upon  the  heads  of 
those  by  whom  it  is  effected. 


254 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


SECTION  III— WHAT  SHOULD  WE  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

SHOULD  WE  SING   PSALMS  EXCLUSIVELY? 

Presumption  m  favor  of  Compositions  of  Uninspired  Poets  —  View 
of  the  Seceders  —  The  Title  of  the  Psalms  —  "Song  of  Songs "  — 
Ralph  Erskine's  View  and  Conduct  —  Suitableness  of  Matter  for 
Praise  —  Testimony  of  Isaiah  —  Offering  Strange  Fire  — 
"Psalms,  Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs"  —  Example  of  Simeon, 
Anna  the  Prophetess,  etc.  —  Early  Christians  —  Common  Version 
and  Rous'  Compared  —  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland. 

If  we  are  to  use  words  in  singing,  and  if  these 
words  are  made  especially  influential  by  the 
sounds  to  which  they  are  wedded,  then  the  char- 
acter of  the  sentiments  expressed  becomes  a  mat- 
ter of  the  utmost  importance.  "Where  are  we  to 
find  poetry  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  sacred 
song?  What  do  the  Scriptures  teach  on  the  sub- 
ject? Nearly  all  the  Churches  use,  in  the  service 
of  praise,  those  compositions  of  uninspired  poets 
which  are  thought  to  be  in  accord  with  the 
teachings  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  This 
having  long  been  the  custom,  there  is  a  pre- 
sumption in  its  favor,  and  it  is  for  those  who 


THE  Sf:KVICE  OF  SONG. 


2j5 


entertain  the  contrary  view  to  show  tliat  the  pre- 
vailing practice  1$  unscriptural. 

The  Seceders^  from  the  Established  Charch  of 
Scothand  and  their  descendants,  the  ministers  and 
members  of  the  Associate  Reform  Cliurch,  contend 
that,  in  onr  devotional  singing,  we  are  bound  to 
confine  ourselves  exclusively  to  a  literal  version 
of  the  Book  of  Psalms  ;  and,  consequently,  that 
all  those  who  use  the  comj)ositions  of  men  are 
guilty  of  grave  error,  both  in  theory  and  in  prac- 
tice For  the  support  of  this  allegation,  we  cer- 
tainly have  a  right  to  demand  irrefragable  ScrijD- 
tural  authority. 

The  opposers  of  the  exclusive  system  gladly 
admit  that  the  Book  of  Psalms  constitutes  a  part 
of  the  word  of  God ;  that  the  Psalms  were  de- 
signed to  be  sung  in  the  Church  under  the  Jewish 
dispensation,  and  that  most  of  them,  when  prop- 
erly versified,  have  high  claims  as  sacred  lyrics, 
even  in  the  present  day.  It  is  glaringly  unjust  to 
charge  the  advocates  of  the  liberal  view  with  the 
sin  of  rejecting  the  Psalms,  or  of  supplanting 
them  by  unauthorized  human  productions.  On  the 
contrary,  the  Psalms  are  highly  prized  and  jeal- 
ously guarded  as  an  integral  part  of  the  sacred 
canon.  The  only  question  in  controversy  is — 
Should  we  sing  Psalms  exclusively  ? 

Our  Seceder  friends  argue  that  the  Psalms  were 

*We  use  the  term  "  Seceder"  in  this  chapter  with  the  utmost  respect 
*    for  those  who  are  designated  by  it.    Other  Scottish  Churches  agree  with 
them. 


256 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


written  by  inspired  men  to  be  sung  in  tlie  Clmrcli ; 
tliat  they  were  appointed  to  be  sung  by  Divine 
authority  ;  that  this  appointment  has  never  been 
revoked ;  that  the  Head  of  the  Church  has  never 
authorized  the  use  of  any  other  songs  in  His  wor- 
ship, and  that  the  Psalms  are,  therefore,  to  be 
sung  to  the  end  of  time,  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
other  compositions. 

The  following  is  one  of  the  chief  passages  of 
Scripture  adduced  in  favor  of  this  theory : 
"Hezekiah  the  king,  and  the  princes,  commanded 
the  Levites  to  sing  praise  unto  the  Lord  with  the 
words  of  David,  and  of  Asaph  the  seer."^^  This 
command  was  given  by  this  pious  sovereign  when 
he  reformed  the  temple  service ;  and,  as  has  been 
well  said,  the  verse  and  the  chapter  prove  too  much 
for  the  purpose  of  the  Seceders.  In  verse  twenty- 
fifth,  it  is  said  that  ''Hezekiah  set  the  Levites  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  with  cymbals,  with  psalter- 
ies, and  with  harps,  according  to  the  commandment 
of  David,  and  of  Gad  the  king's  seer,  and  of 
Nathan  the  prophet."  If  the  former  quotation 
contains  a  Divine  warrant  for  the  exclusive  use 
of  the  words  of  David  and  Asaph  in  sacred  song 
in  all  ages ;  then,  upon  the  same  principle  of  in- 
terpretation, the  latter  passage  positively  enjoins 
the  use  of  instruments  of  music  in  all  church- 
singing  to  the  end  of  time.  In  the  former  case, 
Hezekiah  and  the  princes  command  the  use  of  the 

*  2  Chronicles  xxix.  30. 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


257 


words  of  David  and  Asapli.  In  tlie  latter  case, 
both  Grad  the  seer,  and  Nathan  the  prophet, 
unite  with  David  in  ordaining  the  use  of  musical 
instruments;  so  that  if  there  is  any  difference, 
the  obligation  to  employ  cymbals,  psalteries  and 
harps,  at  all  times  when  we  sing  praises  to  God, 
is  greater  than  the  obligation  to  restrict  our 
singing  to  the  Book  of  Psalms.  The  advocates 
of  the  exclusive  doctrine  admit  that  we  are  not 
required  to  use  instruments  of  music  ;  yea, 
they  as  a  general  rule,  strongly  disapprove  of 
the  introduction  of  these  instruments  into  the 
Church,  although  they  are  called  in  the  Scriptures, 
"musical  instruments  of  God."  We  see,  there- 
fore, that  the  chief  proof-text  upon  which  they 
rely  utterly  fails  to  sustain  their  position. 

It  is  obvious  that  Hezekiah  himself  did  not  act 
upon  the  principle  which  is  so  strenuously  con- 
tended for  by  these  brethren.  On  his  recovery 
from  sickness,  thirteen  years  after  he  had  issued 
the  order  to  sing  the  words  of  David  and  Asaph, 
Hezekiah  composed  a  song,  or  songs,  and  he  de- 
clares, "We  will  sing  my  songs  to  the  stringed 
instruments,  all  the  days  of  our  life  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord."  ^  This  conduct  of  the  good  king, 
demonstrates  the  fact  that  he  did  not  understand 
his  own  ordinance  as  it  is  understood  by  the 
Seceders. 

Furthermore,  the  command  of  Hezekiah  to  sing 

^  Isaiah  xxxviii.  20. 
17 


258 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


the  words  of  David  and  Asapli,  even  if  interpre- 
ted according  to  the  exclusive  view,  fails  to  estab- 
lish the  strange  position  which  has  been  assumed. 
David  wrote  upward  of  seventy  of  the  Psalms, 
and  to  Asaph  are  ascribed  ten  or  twelve;  the 
others  are  attributed  to  Moses,  Heman,  Jeduthun, 
Solomon,  and  others.  It  is  urged  that  the 
entire  Book,  which  contains  one  hundred  and 
fifty  Psalms,  constitutes  the  true  Psalmody  of  the 
Church.  But  the  decree  of  Hezekiah  only  em- 
braces those  which  were  written  by  David  and 
Asaph  ;  and  as  there  are  at  least  sixty  in  the  col- 
lection which  were  not  composed  by  these  authors, 
the  injunction  of  the  king  falls  utterly  short  of 
establishing  the  hypothesis  of  the  Seceders. 

Our  brethren  further  argue,  that  the  title  which 
has  been  given  to  the  Book  in  question,  indicates 
the  correctness  of  their  doctrine :  it  is  called 
Psalms  or  Songs,  and  hence,  we  are  to  infer  that 
it  was  given  to  the  Church  to  be  her  only  "Psalm 
Book"  through  every  period  of  her  history.  We 
respectfully  submit  that  the  premise  is  too  nar- 
row to  support  the  conclusion.  Even  if  we  were 
to  admit  that  the  word  Psalms  is  always  to  be  in- 
terpreted Songs,  the  only  proper  conclusion  would 
be  that  the  Psalms  were  designed  to  be  sung  in 
the  Church.  It  would  by  no  means  follow  that 
the  Psalms  are  to  be  perpetually  and  exclusively 
used. 

But  let  us  inquire  more  particularly  into  the 


THE  SEllVICK  OF  SONG. 


259 


meaning  of  tlie  word  Psalms.  Does  tlie  original 
Hebrew  word  T eJiilUm^  which  is  translated  Psalms, 
invariably  or  generally,  signify  Songs  ?  It  does  not, 
only  as  the  genus  includes  the  species.  Its  proper 
meaning  is  Praise ;  hence,  the  Book  of  Psalms 
is  properly  denominated  the  Book  of  Praises,  in- 
cluding the  praise  which  is  rendered  in  song,  and 
praise  in  various  other  forms.  Therefore,  the 
learned  have  classified  the  Psalms,  as  follows  : 
Prayers,  sixty-six  ;  Songs  of  Thanksgiving,  twen- 
ty-nine ;  Songs  of  Praise  and  Adoration,  thirty ; 
Psalms  on  general  topics  of  instruction,  forty ; 
ten  are  prophetical,  and  three  historical.  Such 
are  the  component  parts  of  this  Book  of 
Praises.  The  Catechism,  used  by  the  Seceders, 
teaches  us  that  "in  our  prayers  we  praise  God," 
and  it  is  manifest  that  He  may  be  praised  in  all 
the  ways  indicated  in  the  foregoing  classification. 
The  particular  titles  of  some  of  the  Psalms,  as 
well  as  their  subject-matter,  plainly  show  that 
they  are  not  all  songs.  The  seventeenth  is  desig- 
nated a  "Prayer  of  David,"  and  the  ninetieth 
the  "Prayer  of  Moses."  It  is  evident  from  all 
these  considerations,  and  also  from  the  etymology 
of  the  word,  that  the  Book  of  Psalms  is  properly 
the  Book  of  Praises,  and  not  the  Book  of  Songs 
exclusively. 

The  fact  that  it  is  called  the  Book  of  Psalms  in 
the  New  Testament  does  not  militate  against  this 
view  of  the  subject.    The  jSTew  Testament  writers 


260 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOTTG. 


quoted  from  tlie  Greek  Septuagint  translation,  and 
not  from  tlie  original  Hebrew.  In  otlier  instances 
besides  tlie  one  under  consideration,  they  made 
citations  from  tlie  Septuagint  tliat  are  obviously  not 
in  accordance  with  the  original  Hebrew,  but  only 
where  the  blunders  of  the  Greek  translation  were 
such  as  not  to  weaken  the  special  proofs  for  wliich 
the  quotations  were  made. 

But  what  shall  we  say  of  the  Song  of  Solomon  ? 
Suppose  we  admit  that  the  word  Psalms  means 
Songs  only,  and  that  it  is  thus  demonstrated  that 
the  Book  of  Psalms  is  the  true  and  only  Psalmody 
of  the  Church,  do  we  not  involve  ourselves  in  inex- 
tricable difficulty?  The  Canticles  not  only  bear  the 
general  title — Song — but  Solomon's  Song  is  said  to 
be  The  Soi^g  of  SoinTGs,  or  the  most  excellent 
of  songs !  According  to  this  reasoning,  we  must 
sing  the  Book  of  Psalms  always  and  exclusively, 
and  we  must  also  especially  sing  Solomon's  Song, 
always  and  exclusively  !  As  a  substitute  for  this 
transparent  absurdity,  we  present  the  reasonable 
proposition,  that  wherever  matter  for  praise  is 
suggested,  whether  in  the  Old  or  New  Testament, 
we  are  fully  at  liberty  to  appropriate  it ;  and,  as 
the  advocate  of  this  view,  we  quote  the  eminent 
Ralph  Erskine,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Seceder 
Presbytery  in  Scotland.  He  says :  '*When  the 
motion  was  made  of  turning  aU  the  Scripture 
songs  into  common  metre,  for  tlie  same  use  with 
the  Psalms  of  David  I  was  also  urged  to  make  a 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOI^G. 


261 


version  of  tliis  song,"  i.  e.,  tlie  Song  of  Solomon. 
He  further  says  in  reference  to  tlie  same  Book : 
"  If  more  seem  to  "be  said  upon  any  verse  than  is 
directly  imported  in  it,  I  hope  it  will  Ibe  reckoned 
no  great  fault,  if  what  is  said  be  deducible  from 
it,  or  necessary  for  the  further  explication  of  it, 
and  for  adapting  this  paraphrase  upon  an  Old 
Testament  song  to  a  New  Testament  dispensa- 
tion." Let  it,  therefore,  be  borne  in  mind  that  this 
distinguished  scholar  and  divine  of  the  Secession 
Church  teaches  us  that  we  are  not  bound  to  con- 
fine ourselves,  in  our  songs  of  praise,  to  the  Book 
of  Psalms,  and  that  we  are  by  no  means  required 
to  sing  a  literal  version  of  any  portion  of  the 
Scriptures. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  the  Song  of  Solomon 
was  never  used  in  the  temple  worship.  That 
being  the  case,  the  position  that  the  title,  Psalm, 
or  Song,  imposes  no  obligation  upon  us  to  use  the 
Book  of  Psalms  exclusively,  is  fully  established. 

It  is  urged,  too,  that  the  character  of  the  mat- 
ter embraced  in  the  Book  of  Psalms  indicates 
that  it  was  designed  to  be  the  only  Psalm  Book 
of  the  Church.  We  claim  a  place  in  the  front 
rank  of  those  who  extol  the  Psalms,  yet,  we 
would  not  perpetrate  the  error  of  exalting  them 
above  all  other  portions  of  the  word  of  God. 
We  have  already  seen  the  variety  of  topics  treated 
on  in  the  Psalms :  it  might  reasonably  be  supposed 
that,  in  the  wide  range  of  subjects,  some  portions 


262 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


of  tliis  deliglitful  Book  would  be  less  suited  to 
purposes  of  praise  than  some  other  portions  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

Compare  passages  in  the  sixty-ninth  Psalm  with 
the  sublime  Doxologies  recorded  in  the  Apostolic 
Epistles.  The  Psalmist,  predicting  the  wrath  which 
awaited  the  enemies  of  Christ,  says  : 

"Let  their  table  become  a  snare  before  them; 
and  that  which  should  have  been  for  their  welfare 
let  it  become  a  trap. 

"  Let  their  eyes  be  darkened  that  they  see  not ; 
and  make  their  loins  continually  to  shake. 

"  Pour  out  thine  indignation  upon  them,  and  let 
thy  wrathful  anger  take  hold  of  them. 

"  Let  their  habitation  be  desolate,  and  let  none 
dwell  in  their  tents. 

"  .  .  .  .  Let  them  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of 
the  living,  and  not  be  written  with  the  righteous." 

Thus  saith  the  Apostle :  "  Now  unto  the  King 
eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  the  only  wise  God,  be 
honor  and  glory  forever  and  ever.  Amen."  He 
says  again :  "  jS'ow  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  do 
exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or 
think,  according  to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us, 
unto  Him  be  glory  in  the  Church  by  Christ  Jesus, 
throughout  all  ages,  world  without  end.  Amen." 

Judge  of  the  merits  of  that  theory  which  incor- 
porates the  former  verses  into  the  Psalmody  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  while  it  rejects  these  spirit- 
ual and  rapturous  utterances. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


263 


This  mere  inference  as  to  superior  suitableness, 
even  if  it  were  legitimate,  could,  of  course,  prove 
nothing. 

Before  we  abandon  our  Hymn  Books  to  take  up 
Eous'  version  of  the  Psalms,  for  the  reason  that 
the  version  is  better  adapted  to  the  purposes  of 
worship,  let  us  take  a  specimen  from  each.  We 
quote  first  from 

THE  VERSION. 

The  preacher  rises  in  the  pulpit  and  gives  out : 

"  I  like  an  owl  in  desert  am 

That  nightly  there  doth  moan, 
I  watch,  and  like  a  sparrow  am 

On  the  house-top  alone. 
My  bitter  en'mies  all  the  day 

Reproaches  cast  on  me ; 
And  being  mad  at  me,  with  rage 

Against  me  sworn  they  be." 

Let  us  now  read  a  part  of 

THE  HYMN, 

which  is  only  the  representative  of  a  class : 

"O  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing 
My  great  Redeemer's  praise  ! 
The  glories  of  my  God  and  King, 
The  triumphs  of  His  grace  ! 

**  My  gracious  Master  and  my  God, 
Assist  me  to  proclaim — 
To  spread  through  all  the  earth  abroad 
The  honors  of  Thy  name. 

**  Jesus  !  the  name  that  charms  our  fears, 
That  bids  our  sorrows  cease; 
'Tis  music  in  the  sinner's  ears, 
'Tis  life,  and  health,  and  peace." 


264 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


We  can  not  consent  to  ignore  tlie  testimony  of 
the  prophet  Isaiah  on  the  subject  which  we  are  now 
discussing.  The  fact  that  this  inspired  man  plainly 
dissents  from  the  view  of  our  Seceder  brethren 
should  settle  the  question.  If  he  had  believed  as 
they  do,  he  would  certainly  have  used  and  recom- 
mended the  Psalms  as  the  only  authorized  songs 
of  praise.  But,  so  far  from  this,  he  himself  writes 
a  song  and  prophetically  enjoins  that  it  shall  be 
sung  "  in  that  day,"  the  glorious  gospel  day  which 
he  saw  in  the  distance.    He  says  : 

"  In  that  day  shall  this  song  be  sung  in  the  land 
of  Judali :  we  have  a  strong  city :  salvation  will 
God  appoint  for  walls  and  bulwarks.  Open  ye 
the  gates  that  the  righteous  nation  which  keepeth 
the  truth  may  enter  in.  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  per- 
fect peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee,  because 
he  trusteth  in  Thee.  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  forever : 
for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength." 

The  prophet  also  gives  us  another  song  to  be 
used  "  in  that  day."  The  theory  which  we  oppose 
utterly  forbids  the  singing  of  these  songs  in  Divine 
worship. 

But  what  shall  we  say  as  to  suitableness  of 
matter.  It  has  been  said,  as  a  reason  why 
we  should  sing  the  Psalms  only,  that  they  are 
"  full  of  Christ."  We  think  we  can  easily  prove 
by  our  Seceder  brethren  themselves  that  their 
theory  is  incorrect.    They  argue  that  the  Psalms. 

*  Isaiah  xxvi.  1-4. 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


265 


are  "  full  of  Christ ; "  therefore,  they  should  con- 
stitute the  only  psalmody  of  the  Church.  We 
reply  tliat  the  Book  of  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  is 
"  full  of  Christ ; "  and,  therefore,  npon  their  own 
principle,  the  Book  of  Isaiah  should  constitute 
the  only  psalmody  of  the  Church. 

We  duly  appreciate  the  glowing  delineations  of 
the  coming  Messiah  which  endear  the  Psalms  to 
the  pious  heart ;  but  we  can  not  admit  that  David 
and  the  rest  of  the  Psalm  writers  had  clearer 
views  of  Christ  than  were  entertained  and  ex- 
pressed by  "  the  evangelical  prophet." 

We  might  challenge  the  friends  who  differ  with  us 
to  point  to  any  other  portion  of  the  Old  Testament 
where  the  character  and  work  of  the  Redeemer  are 
as  explicitly  set  forth  as  they  are  in  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah.  In  that  sublime  book  of  the  Scriptures, 
the  great  doctrines  of  salvation  are  clearly  taught. 
Christ  is  there  evidently  set  forth  before  ns  in  His 
Divinity  and  in  His  humanity ;  in  the  lowly  cir- 
cumstances of  His  birth  and  life,  and  especially 
in  His  vicarious  death.  This  is  the  great  central 
doctrine  in  the  system  of  Christianity ;  and  if  we 
would  exult  in  the  glorious  truth  that  "by  His 
stripes  we  are  healed,"  we  have  only  to  read  and 
appropriate  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  this  gospel 
prophecy.  How  can  we  be  blamed  for  rejecting  a 
theory  which  requires  ns  to  believe  that  David 
was  more  evangelical  than  Isaiah? 

Again,  it  is  urged  that  we  have  no  authority 


266 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


for  making  and  singing  hymns,  although  they 
be  thoroughly  Scriptural.  Our  songs,  it  is  said, 
have  already  been  prepared  for  us  by  Divine 
direction,  and  we  have  no  authority  in  the  premi- 
ses further  than  to  prepare  and  sing  a  metrical 
and  literal  version  of  these  psalms.  But  who 
collected  the  Psalms  into  one  book  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  God,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
giving  to  the  Church  in  all  ages  a  form  of  words 
to  be  used  in  praise  ?  This  question  has  never 
been  answered,  nor  can  it  be.  It  is  supposed  that 
the  compilation  was  the  work  of  Ezra ;  but  who 
can  positively  tell  ?  And  where  is  the  evidence 
that  the  compiler  himself  used  this  book  only,  in 
the  service  of  praise,  and  that  this  exclusive  theory 
was  to  be  binding  for  all  time  to  come  ? 

It  has  been  seriously  intimated  that  those  who 
sing  hymns  other  than  the  versified  Psalms  are 
guilty  of  the  sin  of  offering  strange  fire  before  the 
Lord,  and  are  liable  to  the  punishment  which  was 
inflicted  upon  Nadab  and  Abihu.  Surely  they 
who  thus  speak  ought  to  give  us  a  Divine  war- 
rant for  the  dogma  to  which  they  attach  so  much 
importance,  and  the  rejection  of  which  is  likely, 
in  their  view,  to  be  attended  with  fatal  con- 
^  sequences.  Even  the  inspired  \yriters  did  not 
venture,  without  Divine  sanction,  to  anathematize 
those  who  differed  with  them.  Our  friends  who 
so  emphatically  warn  us  of  our  danger  have  at- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXQ. 


267 


tempted  to  give  their  authority,  but  with  what 
success  we  have  already  seen. 

What  right,  we  may  ask,  have  we  to  pray  or 
preach  in  our  own  words  ?  The  answer  which  our 
Seceder  brethren  w^ould  give  is,  that  prayer  is  a 
Christian  duty;  that  preaching  is  a  Divinely  estab- 
lished institution ;  and  that,  while  all  our  pray- 
ing and  preaching  are  to  be  based  upon  the  Scrip- 
tures, we  are,  nevertheless,  at  liberty  to  use  such 
forms  of  prayer  and  sermonizing  as  to  us  may 
seem  best,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
But  why  may  w^e  not  adopt  this  principle  in  re- 
gard to  singinf]:,  especially,  as  we  have  in  the 
Bible  no  required  forms  of  praise?  This  plea 
having  been  set  aside,  there  can  be  no  other 
plausible  one,  unless  it  be  to  the  effect  that  we 
must  confine  ourselves  to  the  Psalms  to  avoid  the 
errors  in  doctrine  w^hich  may  creep  into  the  h3'mns 
composed  by  uninspired  men.  But  how^  does  it 
happen  that  w^e  are  more  liable  to  error  in 
singing  than  in  preaching  and  praying  ?  Has  not 
almost  every  phase  and  shade  of  heterodoxy  had 
its  apologist  and  advocate  in  the  pulpit  ?  And  if 
there  is  a  great  power  in  song  to  make  the  sen- 
timents uttered  influential,  what  are  we  to  say  of 
the  preaching  of  the  eloquent  orator,  who,  with 
great  logical  and  rhetorical  ability,  addi'esses  the 
multitude  ? 

Is  there  no  danger  of  heterodoxy  in  extempora- 
neous, or  written  prayers  ? — prayers  composed  by 


208 


THE  SKRVICK  OF  SONG. 


men  ?  We  have  the  answer  in  the  semi-idolatrous 
petitions  to  the  saints,  and  the  prayers  for  the  dead, 
which  are  offered  np  in  the  Romish  Church.  If, 
then,  to  promote  orthodoxy,  we  should  refrain 
from  composing  and  singing  hymns,  we  ought,  on 
the  same  principle,  to  refrain  from  preaching  and 
praying,  unless  the  service  be  conducted  in  the 
words  of  inspiration. 

The  course  pursued  by  our  anti-hymn  singing 
friends  does  not  afford  the  slightest  guarantee 
against  error  in  doctrine.  The  fact  that  the 
language  of  the  Psalms  is  sometimes  obscure  and 
often  typical,  renders  it  necessary,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Associate  Reform  ministers,  to  lecture 
on  the  Psalm  before  it  is  sung,  whenever  circum- 
stances are  favorable  for  exposition.  The  explan- 
ation given  is,  of  course,  received  and  borne  in 
mind  during  the  singing.  Now,  what  security 
have  we  against  false  doctrine  in  the  lecture, 
and,  consequently,  in  the  understanding  which 
pervades  the  singing?  Our  Hymn  Books  are 
generally  compiled  by  our  ablest  and  best  men, 
and  are  adopted  by  the  highest  ecclesiastical  au- 
thority. This,  it  would  seem,  would  be  as 
effectual  a  safeguard  against  error  as  the  most 
zealous  defender  of  the  faith  could  demand.  The 
explications  given  of  the  Psalms,  from  time  to 
time,  before  singing,  are,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  much  more  likely  to  propagate  heresy 
than  the  hymns  used  in  the  Churches.    If  we 


THE  SERVICE  OE  SONG. 


269 


wanted  to  foster  Judaism,  that  deadly  error  which 
the  apostles  combated  with  so  great  zeal  and  suc- 
cess, we  might  reasonably  suppose  that  the  use 
of  an  exclusively  Jewish  psalmody  would  tend  to 
such  a  result.  We  plead  the  Arianism  of  the 
Seceders  of  Ulster,  as  a  significant  illustration  of 
the  fact  that  Psalm  singing  affords  no  security 
against  the  embracement  and  advocac}^  of  nn- 
scriptural  doctrines. 

But  we  have  not  space  to  reply  to  the  minor  ob- 
jections which  have  been  urged  against  the  cus- 
tom of  hymn-singing ;  nor  is  it  necessary  to  assail 
the  pigmies  after  having  grappled  with  the  giants. 

We  confidently  abide  at  our  stand-point,  and 
claim  a  complete  vindication,  on  the  ground  that 
no  valid  objection  can  be  urged  against  the  com- 
posing and  singing  of  hymns  embodying  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity,  this  practice  of  the 
Churches  being  eminently  Scriptural. 

The  positive  evidence  that  our  hymns  may 
be  founded  upon  any  portion  of  God's  word, 
and  especially  upon  the  New  Testament,  is 
abundant.  It  is  said,  "Let  the  word  of  Christ 
dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom ;  teaching  and 
admonishing  one  another  in  psalms,  hymns,  and 
spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts 
to  the  Lord."^- 

No  language  could  possibly  set  this  whole  sub- 
ject in  a  clearer  light  than  is  shed  upon  it  by 

*  Col.  iii.  i6. 


270 


THE  servicp:  of  song. 


these  words  of  the  Apostle.  It  is  surprising  to 
see  that  the  abortive  attempt  has  been  made  to 
evade  its  force  by  showing  that  the  Apostle  meant 
only  the  Psalms,  when  he  says  :  "Psalms,  hj^mns 
and  spiritual  songs."  The  idea  is  that  in  the 
Book  of  Psalms,  there  are  "psalms,  hymns,  and 
spiritual  songs,"  the  peculiar  characteristics  of 
each  being  slightly  different.  As  it  regards  the 
philological  argument,  it  is  enough  for  us  to  say 
without  going  into  details,  that  the  Seceder  inter- 
pretation represents  the  Apostle  as  directing  us  to 
sing  psalms,  psalms,  and  psalms  !  or  to  make  the 
best  of  it,  psalms,  and  psalms,  and  spiritual  songs. 
He  w^ho  can  receive  such  an  interpretation,  let  him 
receive  it.  We  confess  that  we  are  curious  to 
know  how  the  friends  who  differ  from  us  ever 
arrived  at  the  certain  knowledge  that  the  Apostle 
meant  only  the  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual 
songs  contained  in  the  Book  of  Psalms,  to  the 
exclusion  of  all  other  inspired  songs,  as  well 
as  the  songs  and  hymns  of  human  composition. 

If  St.  Paul  meant  simply  the  Psalms,  it  is  mar- 
velous that  he  should  have  commenced  by  exhort- 
ing the  Colossians  thus  :  "  Let  the  Avord  of  Christ 
dwell  in  you  richly."  Can  we  suppose  that  the 
phrase,  "  word  of  Christ,"  was  the  most  apt  ex- 
pression which  the  Apostle  could  use  to  designate 
the  Psalms  of  David?  By  "  the  word  of  Christ," 
he  must  have  meant  the  teachings  of  Christ  and 
the  evangelists  and  apostles — the  doctrines  of 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


271 


salvation  as  revealed  faintly  in  the  Old  Testament, 
and  vividly  in  the  New.  It  is  incredible  that  the 
Apostle  intended  to  enjoin  it  upon  us  to  have  the 
mind  fixed  upon  the  New  Testament  teachings — 
to  have  the  word  of  Christ  dwelling  in  our  hearts 
richh' — while  at  the  same  time  we  were  forbidden 
to  sing  the  words  of  Christ,  and  required  to  go 
back  to  the  days  and  writings  of  David  for  words 
to  be  used  in  song.  Let  it  not  be  forgotten  that 
he  puts  in  the  word  "  spiritual " — "  spiritual 
songs  " — as  it  would  seem,  for  the  express  purpose 
of  guarding  us  against  the  error  into  which,  as  we 
conceive,  our  anti-hymn  brethren  have  fallen.  If 
we  adopt  their  view,  we  must  bravely  sunnount 
all  difficulties,  and  reach  the  conclusion  that  the 
Apostle  used  all  the  words  contained  in  the  verse 
under  examination  simply  to  teach  us  that  it  is 
our  duty  to  sing  the  Psalms  exclusively.  We 
prefer  to  take  the  passage  in  its  plain  and  obvious 
meaning.  According  to  the  acknowledged  rules 
of  interpretation,  it  triumphantly  sustains  the 
theory  and  practice  of  nearly  all  the  denomina- 
tions of  Christians  in  the  world. 

"VYe  are  directed  to  teach  and  admonish  one 
another  in  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs. 
But  what  are  we  to  teach?  Of  course,  the  lessons 
embraced  in  our  songs  must  be  taken  from  the 
Scriptures.  But,  from  what  part  ?  From  the 
Book  of  Psalms  alone  ?  The  Apostle  gives  us  a 
satisfactory  answer.    It  is  as  follows :  All 


272 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  Grod,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  rigliteousness."  ^  These  two 
passages  taken  together  give  us  a  clear  view  of 
the  subject.  This  last  one  can  not  be  understood 
as  referring  to  the  Old  Testament  alone.  Most 
of  the  New  Testament  was  extant  at  the  time  the 
Apostle  wrote  this  Epistle  to  Timothy,  and  even 
those  Books  of  the  sacred  canon  w^hich  were  not 
then  written  were  evidently  included  prospectively 
in  the  term — "All  Scripture." 

In  singing  spiritual  songs  apart  from  the 
Psalms,  we  are  only  following  the  example  of 
good  old  Simeon,  Anna  the  prophetess,  Mary  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  and,  doubtless,  all  the  primitive 
Christians.  Yea,  our  course  is  vindicated  by  the 
example  of  those  whom  St.  John  saw  "in  the 
midst  of  the  throne."  They  sang  a  new  song — a 
song  that  recognized  and  adored  Christ  as  already 
come,  and  as  having  finished  His  work  and  entered 
into  His  glory.  They  cried — "  Wortliy  is  tlie  Lamb 
that  was  slain.^^-f  Shall  we  refuse  to  sing  this 
song  which  is  sung  by  "  every  creature  in  heaven  ?" 
This  refusal  is  demanded  by  the  system  of  psalm- 
ody which  we  oppose. 

The  early  Christians,  no  doubt,  sang  the  Old 
Testament  Psalms,  together  with  hymns  and 
spiritual  songs  suggested  by  the  Scriptures  of  the 
Xew  Testament.  Basil  of  the  fourth  century  cites 

Timothy  iii.  i6.  t  Rev.  vi.  12. 


THE  servicp:  of  song. 


273 


a  hymn  vviiicli  was  then  said  to  be  tery  ancient. 
It  is  translated  by  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  as  follows : 
'•Jesus  Christ— joyful  light  of  the  Holy  I  Glory 
of  the  eternal,  heavenly,  holy,  blessed  Father! 
Having  now  come  to  the  setting  of  the  sun— be- 
holding the  evening  light,  we  praise  the  Father, 
and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  S^^irit  of  God.  Thou 
art  worthy  to  be  praised  of  sacred  voices,  at  all 
seasons,  O  Son  of  God,  Who  givest  life.  Where- 
fore the  universe  glorifieth.  Thee  I" 

There  are  other  h^^mns  extant  equally  ancient. 
It  was  of  such  hymns  that  Clemens  of  Alexandria, 
about  A.  D.  175,  wrote  as  follows  :  "  Gather  to- 
gether the  children  to  praise  the  Leader  of  chil- 
dren, the  eternal  Logos s  the  eternal  Light,  the 
Fountain  of  mercy.  Filled  with  the  dew  of  the 
Spirit,  let  us  sing  sincere  praises,  genuine  hymns 
to  Christ  our  King." 

At  a  later  period,  it  is  said  of  the  martyr 
Jerome  that  **  as  he  went  to  execution  he  sang 
the  Apostles'  creed  and  the  hymns  of  the  Church, 
with  a  loud  voice  and  a  cheerful  countenance. 
He  kneeled  at  the  stake  and  j^rayed.  Being  then 
bound,  he  raised  his  voice  and  sang  a  paschal 
kymn,  then  much  in  vogue  in  the  Church  : 

"  'Hail I  happy  day,  and  ever  be  pdored, 

When  hell  was  conquered  by  great  heaven's  Lord.'  " 

The  younger  Pliny,  who  lived  in  the  beginning 

of  the  second  century,  having  inquired  into  the 

assemblies  of  the  Christians  in  order  to  give  an 
i8 


274 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


account  of  them  to  the  Emperor  Trajan,  informs 
him  that  he  could  learn  nothing  of  their  sacra- 
ments, but  that  they  assembled  in  the  morning  be- 
fore daylight  to  sing  a  hymn  to  Christ,  as  to  a  god. 

''The  'psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs'  of 
the  Apostolic  Churches,  were  an  outgushing  of 
the  new  spirit  of  Christianity,  which  does  not 
seem  to  have  restricted  itself  to  the  ancient  songs 
of  the  temple,  or  of  the  synagogue.  Even  the 
miraculous  endowments  of  the  first  Christian  age 
appear  to  have  manifested  one  class  of  their  phe- 
nomena in  the  inspired  improvisation  of  Psalms. 
The  earliest  Christian  historians  agree  in  affirm- 
ing, that  the  Christian  communities  of  their  times 
employed  in  Divine  worship,  not  only  the  Psalms 
and  other  metrical  passages  of  the  Old  Testament, 
but  also  hymns,  original  to  the  age,  and  which 
the  religious  character  of  the  times  demanded  for 
its  own  expression.  Tertullian  states,  that  each 
participant  in  the  ancient  agapce^  was  invited  at 
the  close  of  the  feast  to  sing  as  he  might  prefer, 
'  either  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  from  the  dic- 
tates of  his  own  spirit,  a  song  of  adoration  to 
God.' " 

Hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  as  well  as  the 
Psalms,  were  sung  by  the  Waldenses,  and  other 
Christian  communities,  during  the  eclipse  of  faith 
which  marked  the  medieval  ages.  *  We  have  seen 
with  what  spirit  and  success  hymns  were  com- 
posed and  sung  by  Luther  and  others  during  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


275 


great  Reformation.  Passing  over  a  number  of 
authors,  we  come  down  to  the  days  of  Isaac  Watts, 
who  was  succeeded  in  the  great  work  of  hymn- 
writing  by  Charles  Wesley. 

We  review  the  history  of  the  hymn-singing 
Churches  of  the  present  day  with  grateful  emo- 
tions. Our  Heavenly  Father  does  not  treat  us  as 
if  we  were  guilty  of  daring  presumption  ;  but,  by 
causing  His  face  to  shine  upon  us,  He  is  continu- 
ally increasing  our  weight  of  obligation  to  Him, 
and  is,  as  it  were,  calling  upon  us  to  sing  unto 
Him  "a  new  song." 

We  propose,  now,  to  inquire  more  particularly 
into  the  practice  of  the  Seceders.  Do  they  act  on 
their  own  principle  ?  That  principle  is  thus  enun- 
ciated: "A  correct  and  faithful  version  of  the 
whole  Book  of  Psalms  should  be  exclusively  em- 
ployed in  the  psalmody  of  the  Church  to  the  end 
of  time."  Rous'  version  is  regarded  as  being 
"  correct  and  faithful."  A  champion  in  the  cause 
of  exclusive  Psalmody  tells  us  that  this  ver- 
sion "  was  adopted  upon  the  principle  that  it  is  a 
faithful  translation  of  the  original  text."  Again, 
he  says,  that  "this  version  is  not  an  explanation, 
but  a  translation  of  the  Psalms."  It  and  the 
prose  translation  "are  both  to  be  regarded  as  the 
word  of  God." 

Hence,  the  anti-Seceders  are  charged  with  the 
sin  of  "rejecting  the  Psalm-Book  which  God  has 
given,  and  preferring  their  own  effusions."  They 


276 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


are  solemnly  warned  tliat  the  course  which  they 
are  pursuing  "  involves  an  impious  rejection  of  the 
Psalms  which  God  has  given  to  his  Church,  as 
unfit  to  be  sung,  and  the  substitution  of  hymns 
of  man's  composure."  The  position  is,  therefore, 
strenuousl}^  advocated,  that  we  have  no  authority 
for  singing  anything  but  the  pure  word  of  God, 
as  contained  in  the  Book  of  Psalms "the  in- 
spired Psalm-Boolv  ; "  "  a  correct  and  faithful 
translation;"  "a  literal  translation."  To  sing 
anything  else  is  to  expose  ourselves  to  condemna- 
tion for  rejecting  "God's  Psalter."  Let  us  judge 
of  the  Psalmody  of  these  brethren  by  their  own 
standard.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  Rous  has  made 
many  and  large  additions  to  the  inspired  word. 
We  turn  to  the  one  hundred  and  second  Psalm. 


PROSE  TRANSLATION. 

I  am  like  a  pelican  in  the  wil- 
derness. 

I  am  like  an  owl  of  the  desert. 

Because  of  Thy  indignation  and 
Thy  wrath. 


ROUS'  VERSION. 

Like  a  pelican  in  the  wilderness, 

Forsaken  I  have  been. 
I  like  an  owl  in  desert  am, 

That  nightly  there  dcth  moan. 
Thy  wrath  and  indignation 

Did  canse  this  grief  and  pain. 


It  will  be  seen  that,  in  Rous'  version,  at  least 
one-half  is  "mere  human  composition." 
Let  us  examine  the  one  hundred  and  fifth  psalm. 

ROUS'  VERSION. 

The   Lord  Almighty,    and  His 
strength. 
With  steadfast  hearts  seek  ye : 
His  blessed  and  His  gracious  face. 
Seek  ye  continually. 


TROSE  TRANSLATION. 

Seek  the  Lord  and  His  strength, 
seek  His  face  evermore. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


277 


Here,  again,  we  see  that  fully  one-lialf  of  the 
psalm  is  made  up  by  the  words  of  Rons,  and  not 
the  words  of  inspiration.  Many  other  examples 
might  be  given  to  the  same  effect. 

Sometimes  we  find  much  of  the  metrical  version 
composed  of  mere  repetitions  of  the  inspired  sen- 
timent, the  human  composition"  constituting 
most  of  the  psalm. 

An  instance  of  this  is  found  in  the  eighty -fourth 
Psalm. 


PROSE  TRAiNSLATION. 

How  amiable  are  Thy  taber- 
nacles, O  Lord  of  hosts. 


ROUS'  VERSION. 

How  lovely  is  Thy  dwelling  place, 

O  Lord  of  hosts,  to  me ; 
The  tabernacles  of  Thy  grace. 
How  pleasant,  Lord,  they  be. 

Many  scores  of  these  human  explanations  are 
Rous'  additional  thoughts,  employed  to  fill  up 
the  stanza  and  make  metre.  Thus 


TROSE  TRAXSLATIOX. 

Be  thankful  unto  Him  and  bless 
His  name. 

PROSE  TRANSLATION. 
I  thought  on  my  ways. 
I  delayed  not. 


ROUS'  VERSION. 

Praise,  laud  and  bless  His  name 

always  ; 
For  it  is  seemly  so  to  do. 

ROUS'  VERSION. 
I  thought  upon  my  forvter  w^js, 
And  did  my  life  well  try. 
I  did  not  stay,  nor  linger  long, 
As  those  that  slothful  are. 


It  is  a  surprising  fact  that  those  who  are  so 
afraid  of  the  work  and  words  of  man,  have  incor- 
porated in  their  psalmody  enough  of  this  sort  of 
human  composition  to  make  seven  psalms  of  the 


278 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


size  of  Psalm  First,  or  twenty-four  of  the  size  of 
tlie  one  hundred  and  seventeenth. 

In  addition  to  these  larger  interpolations,  the 
E,ev.  Wm.  Annan,  to  whom  we  are  mainly  indebted 
for  these  examples,  has  marked  more  than  three 
hundred  smaller  additions  to  the  sacred  text. 

Eous  has  also,  on  the  principle  adopted  by  his 
advocates,  frequently  made  an  unwarranted  use 
of  the  great  and  holy  Name.  The  following  is 
an  instance : 

The  spearmen's  host,  the  multitude 

Of  bulls,  which  fiercely  lool  ; 
Those  calves  which  people  have  forth  sent^ 

O  Lord  our  God,  rebuke, 
Till  every  one  submit  himself 

And  silver  pieces  bring. 
The  people  that  delight  in  war 

Disperse,  O  God  and  King. 

Is  that  a  "  literal  version  "  which  so  often  intro- 
duces the  names  ascribed  to  the  Deity  where  there 
is  nothing  to  answer  to  these  words  in  the  original? 

Again,  "many  scores  of  adjectives,  and  similar 
qualifying  terms,  are  thrown  in,  and  put  where 
the  Holy  Spirit  never  put  them ;  .  .  .  .  these  are 
examples  of  mere  poetical  license — mere  patch- 
work— human  inventions  to  save  the  credit  of  the 
stanza,  lest  it  should  appear  '  like  the  legs  of  the 
lame.' " 

The  admirers  of  Rous'  version  contend  for  the 
exact  words  of  Scripture.  They  attach  much 
blame  to  Dr.  Watts  for,  in  some  instances,  chang- 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


279 


ing  "  God's  order  of  tliouglit,  wliicli  is,  doubtless, 
the  best  for  His  Church."  But  how  is  it  in  their 
received  version?    A  few  specimens  must  suffice  : 


PROSE  TRANSLATION. 

Hide  Thy  face  from  my  sins  and 
blot  out  all  my  iniquities. 

In  God  have  I  put  my  trust;  I 
will  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto 


ROUS'  VERSION. 

All  my  iniquities  blot  out, 
Thy  face  hide  from  my  sins. 
I  will  not  fear  what  flesh  can  do, 
My  trust  is  in  the  Lord. 


If  Dr.  Watts  is  reprehensible,  how  will  his  ac- 
cusers stand  acquitted  in  the  face  of  the  forty  or 
fifty  inversions  of  "  God's  order  of  thought "  which 
they  endorse  ? 

Our  friends  have  also  omitted  certain  portions 
of  the  inspired  Psalms.  The  twentieth  verse  of 
the  seventy-second  Psalm  has  no  place  in  Rous' 
version.  It  reads  thus :  "  The  prayers  of  David  the 
son  of  Jesse  are  ended."  They  have  also  left  out 
most  of  the  titles  of  the  Psalms  which  are  often 
found  so  valuable  in  interpreting  the  meaning  of 
the  writers.  Dr.  Alexander  and  T.  Hartwell  Horne, 
together  with  other  learned  commentators,  concur 
in  the  opinion  that  all  the  titles  which  are  extant  are 
of  undoubted  canonical  authority.  Of  these  there 
are  one  hundred  and  twenty-five,  only  ten  of  which 
are  in  Rous'  version.  It  appears,  therefore,  that 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  inspired  titles  containing 
matter  enough  to  make  fifteen  psalms  of  the  size 
of  Psalm  First,  have  been  rejected  by  those  who 
stickle  for  the  Psalms  entire  as  the  only  Psalm- 
Book.    They  have  acknowledged  the  validity  of 


280 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


these  titles  by  versifying  and  singing  ten  of  them 
which,  as  it  regards  evidence  of  inspiration,  occupy 
precisely  the  same  position  as  the  remaining  one 
hundred  and  fifteen.  Might  we  not  as  well  reject 
the  titles  to  the  Apostolic  Epistles  ?  Who  would 
have  thought  that  those  who  have  left  out  of  their 
version  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Book  of 
Psalms  are  the  very  persons  who  charge  the  hymn- 
singing  public  with  "  laying  aside  the  Psalms  as 
useless?" 

This  brief  examination  makes  it  perfectly  mani- 
fest that  Rous'  version  is  not  a  literal  transla- 
tion of  the  Psalms.  On  the  authorit}^  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  we 
pronounce  it  to  be  only  a  paraplirase.  In  their 
acts,  from  the  year  164i,  to  the  year  1650,  "they 
uniformly  call  Rous,  not  a  version  (or  translation), 
but  only  a  'paraphrase.'  In  these  ofiicial  decrees 
we  find  such  phraseology  as,  '  paraphrase  of  the 
Psalms,'  '  new  paraphrase,'  '  our  own  paraphrase, 
etc.,  and,  finally,  approving  and  ordaining  said 
paraphrase.'"  Why  not,  then,  sing  the  para- 
phrases of  Wesley  and  Watts,  which  are  often  as 
literal  as  those  of  Rous? 

In  conclusion  upon  this  point,  we  may  be  allowed 
to  decline  accepting  the  principle  urged  for  our 
adoption  by  our  Seceder  brethren,  inasmuch  as 
they  themselves  repudiate  it!  They  argue  that 
the  Psalms  entire,  and  the  Psalms  only,  must  be 
sung  in  Divine  worship,  and  yet  they  add  to  the 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


281 


Psalms  enougli  of  "human  composition  "  to  make 
fourteen  psalms  equal  to  Psalm  First;  and  they 
reject  enough  of  the  inspired  text  of  the  Psalms 
to  make  fifteen  psalms  equal  to  Psalm  First.  It 
has  been  truthfully  said  that  Hons'  version  bears 
the  same  relation  to  a  correct  translation  of  the 
Book  of  Psalms  that  a  piece  of  silk  with  five  hun- 
dred patches  of  cotton  cloth  bears  to  a  whole  piece 
of  silk.  The  investigation  of  this  much  contro- 
verted subject  only  confirms  us  in  the  belief  that 
the  Churches  are  at  liberty  to  adopt  as  their 
psalmody  such  "psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual 
songs "  as  are  consonant  with  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament. 


282 


THE  SERVICE  OE  SONG. 


CHAPTER  II. 

UNINSPIRED     SACRED  LYRICS. 

Watts  and  Wesley  —  Opinion  of  John  Wesley  —  Dr.  Abel  Stevens' 
estimate  of  Charles  Wesley  —  Hymns  on  HoUness  —  Life-long 
Devotion  of  the  Wesleys  to  Sacred  Song  —  Reservoirs  of  Sacred 
Poetry — Merits  of  the  Hymn-book  of  M.  E.  Church,  South — 
Singing  Hymns  of  Praise  —  Other  collections  of  Hymns  and 
Songs  —  Hymns  and  Songs  too  httle  Read  and  Studied  —  Brief 
Sketches  of  Hymn  Writers  —  Great  VoLume  of  Sacred  Song  not 
yet  Complete. 

We  have  reason  to  be  thankful  that  in  almost 
every  age  of  the  Christian  Church,  God  has  raised 
up  men  eminently  qualified  to  write  songs  for  the 
Sanctuary.  Many  of  these  sacred  lyrics,  as  we 
have  seen,  expressed  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
Church  in  the  early  morning  of  her  history ;  others 
are  cherished  as  the  last  earthly  hallelujahs  of  the 
martyrs ;  and  others  still  there  are  which  will 
long  be  recognized  as  the  battle  shouts  of  the 
Reformation.  But  of  all  the  uninspired  compos- 
ers of  holy  song.  Watts  and  Wesley,  by  general 
consent,  stand  pre-eminent.  Watts  has  left  us 
many  versions  and  imitations  of  Psalms  and'parts 
of  Psalms,  besides  many  very  excellent  and  popu- 
lar hymns.  Many  of  these  are  remarkable  for 
elegance  and  force  of  diction;  for  beauty  and 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


283 


grandeur  of  conception,  and  for  tlie  i^ious  spirit 
by  which  they  are  pervaded. 

Charles  Wesley's  life  was  a  continuous  out  burst 
of  sacred  song.  A  recent  discovery  has  added 
much  to  his  well-merited  fame  as  a  Christian  poet : 
we  allude  to  a  free  and  admirable  version  of  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  of  the  Psalms  in  manu- 
script. This  valuable  production  was  evidently,  at 
one  time,  theproperty  of  Lady  Huntingdon,  but  was 
afterward  buried  in  the  archives  of  a  college,  from 
whence  it  was  disinterred  and  sold  a  few  years  ago. 
It  providentially  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Henry 
Fish,  and  now  constitutes  the  principal  part  of 
the  Wesleyan  Psalter^  a  most  delightful  volume, 
recently  issued  from  the  Methodist  Publishing 
House  in  JSTashville.  In  the  Introductory  Essay 
by  Mr.  Fish,  it  is  said  that  "though  Charles  Wes- 
ley has  not  always  confined  himself  to  the  letter 
of  the  Psalms  which  he  versified,  yet  in  every  case, 
he  has  embodied  the  spirit,  and  in  many  of  them, 
he  has  kept  close  to  the  sense  of  the  original." 
Mr.  Fish  says  again :  "He  (Charles  Wesley)  has 
sung  in  his  own  style — a  style  characterized  by 
smooothness,  and  harmony,  and  pathos,  and 
power,  and  beauty,  and  occasionally  by  sublimity 
and  grandeur.  There  is  nothing  in  the  form  of 
poetry,  within  the  compass  of  uninspired  lan- 
guage, to  surpass  in  composition  many  of  the 
Psalms  in  this  volume." 

The  "bard  of  Methodism"  was  a  wonderfully 


284 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


voluminous  writer.  About  four  thousand  six  hun- 
dred of  his  hymns  have  been  printed,  and  about 
two  thousand  still  remain  in  manuscript.  An 
irrepressible  fervor  of  soul — a  deep,  vivid,  and 
abiding  religious  experience — is  the  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  his  immortal  lyrics,  which 
embody  the  great  revival  spirit  which  burned  so 
intensely  in  the  hearts  of  the  Wesleyan  Reformers. 

This  crowning  excellency  in  hymn-composition 
has,  doubtless,  tended  to  detract  from  the  renown 
of  Charles  Wesley.  The  world's  heart  is  natural- 
ly cold;  the  world's  mind  is  captivated  by  every 
other  species  of  beauty  sooner  than  by  the  beau- 
ties of  holiness.  The  common  intellect  and  the 
common  heart  are  ever  ready  to  stand  off  at  a 
distance  and  admire  the  attributes  of  the  Deity, 
or  the  love  displayed  in  the  Atonement ;  but  when 
they  are  urged  to  draw  nigh  to  God — when  they 
are  entreated  to  let  "the  King  of  Glory  come  in," 
they  shrink  from  the  contact,  and  seek  more 
congenial  associations.  Even  those  who  bear 
the  name  of  Christ  but  too  frequently  lag  so 
far  behind  in  their  heavenward  journey,  as 
almost  to  lose  sight  of  the  Savior.  Hence,  that 
which  is  of  a  general  or  abstract  character,  is 
more  likely  to  elicit  applause  from  the  rfiultitude 
than  that  which  makes  a  direct  appeal  to  each 
individual,  bringing  light  and  fire  into  the  mind 
and  heart.  In  the  long  roll  of  eminent  hymn- 
writers,  many  honored  names  are  to  be  found 


THE  SERVICE  OE  SONG. 


285 


identified  witli  the  joyful  verities  of  Christian  ex- 
perience ;  but  peerless  amongst  these  stands  the 
name  of  Charles  Wesley — a  name  that  will  grow 
dearer  to  the  heart  of  the  Church  as  ages  roll 
away.  Just  as  the  great  community  of  believers 
advance  in  true  holiness,  in  the  same  ratio  will 
the  fame  of  the  "sweet  singer"  of  modern  times  be 
enhanced. 

James  Montgomery,  himself  a  world-renowned 
poet,  thus  speaks  of  Charles  Wesley  :  "Christian 
experience,  from  the  deeps  of  affliction,  through 
all  the  gradations  of  doubt,  fear,  desire,  faith, 
hope,  expectation,  to  the  transports  of  perfect  love, 
in  the  very  beams  of  the  beatific  vision ;  Chris- 
tian experience  furnishes  him  with  everlasting  and 
inexhaustible  themes ;  and  it  must  be  confessed 
that  he  has  celebrated  them  with  an  affluence  of 
diction,  and  a  splendor  of  coloring,  rarely  sur- 
passed. At  the  same  time  he  has  invested  them 
with  a  power  of  truth,  and  endeared  them  both  to 
the  imagination  and  the  affections,  with  a  pathos 
which  makes  feeling  conviction,  and  leaves  the 
understanding  little  to  do  but  to  acquiesce  in  the 
decisions  of  the  heart." 

Charles  Wesley's  Arminianism  has  also  been 
truthfully  regarded  as  another  draw  back  upon  his 
reputation  as  a  sacred  poet ;  but  this  objection 
will  ultimately  pass  away.  The  violent  contro- 
versy on  the  "  five  points,"  which  so  long  agi- 
tated the  Churches,  has,  in  a  measure,  subsided. 


286 


THE  SHIIVICE  OF  SONG. 


It  will,  of  course,  break  out  occasionally  in  differ- 
ent localities,  but  a  pacific  spirit  will,  we  think, 
hereafter  pervade  the  Church,  as  a  whole.  In  fact, 
present  indications  are  hopefully  prophetic.  It 
has  already  been  discovered  that  the  poet  of 
Methodism  wrote,  not  as  an  ecclesiastical  partisan, 
but  as  an  earnest  Christian.  The  great  founda- 
tion doctrines  of  salvation  which  are  breathed 
forth  in  his  hymns,  are  preached  from  Sabbath  to 
Sabbath  in  all  the  orthodox  pulpits  in  the  land ; 
and  his  soul-stirring  lyrics  have  been  found  to  ac- 
cord so  well  with  the  Scriptures,  that  they  are 
now  used  in  other  than  Methodist  Churches,  much 
more  extensively  than  ever  before.  Again,  we 
predict  for  Charles  Wesley  a  still  more  radiant 
future  than  was  promised  him  in  the  early  dawn 
of  his  fame.  As  that  ardent,  loving  spirit  which 
absorbed  his  soul,  advances  to  the  mastery  of 
cold  and  inveterate  prejudice,  so  will  the  proper 
appreciation  of  the  substantial  merit  of  his  hymns 
be  promoted. 

Much  has  been  said  as  to  the  relative  claims  of 
Wesley  and  Watts.  The  present  writer  freely  ad- 
mits that  he  comes  to  the  investigation  with  pre- 
dilections in  favor  of  Wesley.  Perhaps  the  Chris- 
tian world  is  not  yet  ready  to  unhesitatingly  award 
the  palm  of  superiority  to  either  of  them ;  nor 
is  it  a  matter  of  very  special  importance.  Still, 
the  too  prevalent  disposition  to  slight  the  claims 
of  Wesley,  evinced  in  many  of  the  works  on 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


287 


Hymnology  which  liave  appeared  since  his  death, 
makes  us  desirous  to  place  him  and  his  writings 
in  their  true  light.  We  give  the  following  from 
the  pen  of  the  Rev.  Richard  Watson,  one  of  the 
ablest  of  writers.  It  is  proper,  however,  to  remark 
that  the  version  of  Psalms  to  which  we  have 
alluded  had  not  come  to  light  when  Mr.  Watson 
wrote.  That  production  v/ould  certainly  have  in- 
tensified his  appreciation  of  the  poetical  abilities 
of  Charles  Wesley.  Mr.  Watson  says  :  "Watts 
excels  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  only  in  the  sweeter  flow 
of  his  numbers,  and  in  the  feeling  and  sympathy 
of  those  hymns  wiiich  are  designed  to  administer 
comfort  to  the  afflicted.  In  composition,  he  was 
in  all  respects,  decidedly  his  (Wesley's)  inferior, 
in  good  taste,  classic  elegance,  uniformity,  correct 
rhyming,  and  vigor.  As  to  the  theology  of  their 
respective  hymns,  leaving  particular  doctrines  out 
of  the  question,  the  great  truths  of  religious  ex- 
perience are  also  far  more  clearly  and  forcibly 
embodied  by  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  than  by  Dr. 
W^atts." 

Mr.  Watson  also  heartily  endorsed  the  opinion 
of  John  Wesley  in  regard  to  the  hymns  of  Charles 
Wesley  then  in  use.  John  Wesley  says  :  "  In 
these  hymns  there  is  no  doggerel,  no  botches, 
nothing  put  in  to  patch  up  the  rhyme,  no  feeble 
expletives.  Here  is  nothing  turgid  or  bombastic 
on  the  one  hand,  or  low  and  creeping  on  the  other. 
Here  are  no  cant  expressions,  no  words  without 


288 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


meaning.  Here  are  (allow  me  to  say)  botli  tlie  pur- 
ity, tlie  strength,  and  the  elegance  of  the  English 
language ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  utmost  sim- 
plicity and  plainness,  suited  to  every  capacity." 

One  of  the  latest  historians  of  Methodism,"*  an 
accomplished  writer  and  critic,  remarks  as  fol- 
lows :  "  The  whole  soul  of  Charles  Wesley  was 
imbued  with  poetic  genius.  His  thoughts  seemed 
to  bask  and  revel  in  rhythm.  The  varieties  of  his 
metres  (said  to  be  unequaled  by  any  English 
writer  whatever,)  shows  how  impulsive  were  his 
poetic  emotions,  and  how  wonderful  his  facility 
in  their  spontaneous  utterance.  In  the  "Wesleyan 
Hymn  Book  alone,  they  amount  to  at  least  twenty- 
six,  and  others  are  found  in  his  other  productions. 
They  march,  at  times,  like  lengthened  processions 
with  solemn  grandeur ;  they  sweep  at  other  times 
like  chariots  of  fire  through  the  heavens  ;  they  are 
broken  like  the  sobs  of  grief  at  the  grave-side ; 
play  like  the  joyful  affections  of  childhood  at  the 
hearth,  or  shout  like  victors  in  the  fray  of  the 
battle-field.  'No  man  ever  surpassed  Charles 
Wesley  in  the  harmonies  of  language.  To  him 
it  was  a  diapason."  Mr.  Stevens  adds:  "More 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century  since,  the  Methodist 
hymns  were  sold  at  the  rate  of  sixty  thousand 
volumes  annually  in  England ;  they  have  been 
issued  at  an  immensely  larger  rate  in  America. 
Their  triumphant  melodies  swell  farther  and  far- 

*Abel  Stevens,  LL.D. 


THE  SKliVICP:  OF  SONG. 


289 


ther  over  the  world  every  year,  and  their  influence, 
moral  and  intellectual,  is  beyond  all  calculation." 

In  this  connection,  we  ought  not  to  ignore  the 
fact  that,  as  it  regards  hymns  on  holiness,  Charles 
Wesley  confessedly  stands  "  alone  in  his  glory." 

In  the  Hym.n  Book  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  there  are  a  number  of  excellent 
hymns  on  this  subject.  Of  these,  a  few  are 
translations  from  the  German  and  French,  by 
John  Wesley,  the  residue  are  from  the  pen  of 
Charles  Wesley,  an  enduring  monument,  no  less 
of  his  genius  than  of  his  piety.  In  these  soul- 
thrilling  lyrics,  his  heart  evidently  guided  his  pen. 

As  corroborative  of  a  previous  remark,  we  may 
state,  that  some  of  these  hymns  on  holiness  are 
freely  used  in  Divine  worship  outside  of  the  pale 
of  Methodism.  We  make  especial  mention  of  the 
one  commencing — 

"  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God, 
A  heart  from  sin  set  free ! 
A  heart  that  always  feels  Thy  blood, 
So  freely  spilt  for  me  !  " 

It  has  at  last  been  ascertained  that  the  AYesleys 
were  not  enthusiasts  ;  that  they  did  not  teach  the 
doctrine  of  absolute,  angelic,  or  Adamic  perfection ; 
but  that  they  advocated  in  admirable  prose,  and 
in  inimitable  poetry,  the  great  Christian  truth  that 
we  are  required  to  love  God  with  all  the  heart,  and 
our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  The  world  has  as  yet 
found  no  page  in  Charles  Wesley's  poetry  which 
is  extravagant  or  unscriptural. 
19 


290 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


The  devotion  of  the  Wesley s  to  sacred  song  was 
ardent  and  life-long.  They  published  their  first 
Collection  of  Hymns  in  1738,  and  their  last  Col- 
lection in  1788 ;  and  during  the  intervening  half 
century,  they  issued  upward  of  forty  lyrical  pub- 
lications suited  to  private,  social,  and  public  wor- 
ship— to  adults  and  to  children — and  to  every 
grade  of  religious  experience  from  the  first  striv- 
ings of  the  Spirit,  to  the  close  of  the  believers 
final  conflict  with  sin  and  death,  and  his  victorious 
entrance  upon  the  incorruptible  inheritance.  To 
the  delightful  and  invigorating  exercise  of  praise, 
they  devoted  the  freshness  of  youth,  the  strength 
of  manhood,  and  the  waning  energies  of  old  age. 
And  now,  having  reached  the  Eternal  City  of 
Song,  they  lift  up  their  voices  sweetly,  loudly,  and 
perpetually  in  praise  to  the  Giver  of  "  every  good 
and  perfect  gift." 

The  reservoirs  of  sacred  poetry  are  numerous  and 
inexhaustible.  There  are  extant  about  seventy 
metrical  versions  of  the  entire  Book  of  Psalms ; 
and  of  partial  versions,  ranging  from  one  to  more 
than  one  hundred  Psalms,  there  are,  in  the  English 
language  alone,  about  one  hundred  and  forty. 
Besides  the  Psalms,  a  large  portion  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  was  written  in  poetic  style,  and  furnishes 
fit  themes  for  praise.  We  must  also  remember 
that,  of  uninspired  sacred  poets,  the  two  great  com- 
posers of  whom  we  have  made  special  mention  are 
only  the  chiefs  ;  the  hymn-books  of  the  Churches 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


291 


have  been  enriched  with  many  very  valuable  con- 
tributions from  other  writers.  Nor  is  the  Church 
of  God  dependent  for  her  songs  of  praise  solely 
upon  the  living  and  the  dead.  Should  her  sublu- 
nary history  be  prolonged,  worthy  successors  of 
those  sacred  poets  who  have  already  written  their 
names  upon  the  roll  of  immortality  will  be  raised 
up  to  celebrate  the  great  doctrines  and  facts,  and 
especially  the  later,  and  more  triumphant  achieve- 
ments of  Christianity. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  consider  more  particu- 
larly the  merits  of  the  Hymn-Book  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  South.  The  following  his- 
torical facts ^  may  not  be  uninteresting:  John 
Wesley  w^as  justly  considered  by  the  fathers  of 
Methodism,  a  master  of  method,  as  well  as  an  ex- 
cellent judge  of  what  was  desirable  and  necessary 
for  the  edification  of  the  Church.  When,  there- 
fore, they  wanted  a  hymn-book  for  the  American 
Church,  they  prepared  one  upon  the  model  of 
Mr.  Wesley's  large  hymn-book,  first  published  in 
the  year  1779.  The  one  thus  prepared  being  too 
small,  a  second  part  was  added,  drawn  up  sub- 
stantially upon  the  same  model  as  the  former. 
This  double  book  was  found  inconvenient,  and 
was,  moreover,  still  essentially  defective.  The 
old  book,  that  is,  the  one  which  preceded  the 
Hymn-Book  now  in  use  by  the  M.  E.  Church,  South , 

*  Taken  chiefly  from  an  article  in  the  Quar.  Review  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  South. 


292 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


was  tlien  prepared ;  and,  as  if  tlie  compilers  were 
afraid  of  innovation,  tlie  same  general  plan  was 
adopted ;  and  the  defectiveness  of  this  book  being 
felt,  in  the  year  1836,  a  supplement  was  added. 
Most  of  the  hymns  in  this  supplement  were  taken 
from  the  supplement  of  the  British  book;  but, 
unfortunately,  the  plan  of  that  supplement,  and 
scores  of  its  most  desirable  hymns,  were  not 
adopted.  Mr.  Wesley's  hymn-book  v/as  never 
designed  by  him  to  subserve  all  the  purposes  of  a 
Church  hymn-book;  but  merely  to  be  used  by 
the  Society  after  they  had  used  the  psalms,  hymns, 
and  canticles  of  the  Established  Church.  For 
those  of  his  chapels  in  Europe  and  America,  where 
the  "  Sunday  Service  "  was  used,  other  collections 
of  psalms  and  hymns  were  provided.  Had  this 
been  borne  in  mind  by  our  fathers,  they  would 
either  have  compiled  a  supplement  containing  the 
necessary  additions,  as  was  done  by  the  British 
brethren,  when  they  assumed,  in  a  manner,  their 
independence  of  the  Establishment ;  or  a  work 
like  the  present  Hymn-Book  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  prepared  ah  initio,  to 
answer  all  the  purposes  of  public,  social,  and 
domestic  worship. 

In  the  year  1847,  in  the  M.  E.  Church,  South, 
the  old  book  spoken  of  was  superseded  by 
the  new  one.  The  first  General  Conference  of 
this  Church,  held  in  the  city  of  Petersburg,  Vir- 
ginia, in  the  year  1846,  appointed  a  committee 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


293 


consisting  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  O.  Summers,  D.D., 
the  Rev.  W.  M.  Wightman,  D.  D.,  the  Rev.  White- 
ford  Smith,  D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  A.  B.  Longstreet, 
D.  D.,  to  compile  a  hymn-book  de  novo.  A  year's 
patient  labor,  the  first  named  being  chief  in  the 
work,  resulted  in  the  production  of  a  book  which 
has  proved  to  be  entirely  satisfactory  to  the 
Church,  and  is  the  more  highly  prized  the  more  it 
is  used.  The  value  of  the  work  is  set  forth 
in  the  preface  by  the  Bishops.  It  is  not  likely 
that  such  men  would  ''most  cordially  commend" 
an  inferior  hymn-book  to  the  Southern  Methodist 
communion,  and  to  the  religious  public.  The  fol- 
lowing are  some  of  the  excellences  of  the  book : 
1.  Its  Title. 

It  is  denominated  "  A  Collection  of  Hymns  for 
Public,  Social,  and  Domestic  Worship."  To  desig- 
nate a  book,  the  materials  of  which  have  been 
culled  from  all  available  sources,  by  the  terms 
"  Methodist  Hymns,"  Baptist  Hymns,"  or  "  Lu- 
theran Hymns,"  is  by  some  considered  improper. 
Even  admitting  that  the  hymns  are  chiefly  the 
effusions  of  Methodistic  authors,  it  is  hardly 
judicious  to  give  them  that  denominational  appel- 
lation. There  is  but  one  step  from  the  denomina- 
tional to  the  sectarian — in  fact  they  often  blend 
with  each  other ;  hence  the  special  designation 
is  apt  to  prejudice  the  Christian  public  against 
the  book.  The  simple  word  "  Hymns "  is,  we 
think,  much  better.    The  M.  E.  Church,  South, 


294 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


has  no  disposition  to  monopolize  tlie  book  under 
consideration,  only  in  so  far  as  the  copy-right 
secures  its  ownership.  It  might  be  used  advan- 
tageousl}^,  as  we  conceive,  by  any  one  of  the 
branches  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  We  hereby 
take  occasion  to  recommend  its  perusal  to  all 
Christians,  of  whatever  denomination. 

2.  The  excellence  of  the  "  Hymns  "  published 
by  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  is  seen  in  the  sys- 
tematic arrangement  of  the  contents  of  the  book, 
and  in  its  abundant  variety.  The  benefit  of  a 
simple  and  philosophical  disposal  of  the  various 
parts  of  the  work  was  experienced  and  highly 
appreciated  before  it  had  been  in  use  six  months. 
Let  the  reader  glance  at  the  table  of  contents,  and 
he  will  see  that  every  necessary  subject  is  em-' 
braced,  and  that  each  has  its  proper  place  in 
the  volume.  Part  I.,  adapted  to  Public  Worship, 
comprises  the  Being  and  Perfections  of  God — 
Mediation  of  Christ — Offices  of  the  Holy  Ghost- 
Institutions  of  Christianity — The  Gospel  Call — 
Penitential  Exercises  —  Christian  Experience — 
Death  and  the  Future  State — and  Special  Occa- 
sions. Part  II.  —  Social  Worship  —  embraces — 
Communion  of  Saints  and  Prayer.  .Part  III. — 
Domestic  Worship  —  includes — The  Family  and 
the  Closet.  The  book  closes  with  Benedictions 
and  Doxologies.  The  volume  constitutes  a  com- 
plete thesaurus  of  the  choicest  sacred  lyrics.  We 
can  conceive  of  no  want  in  the  department  of 


THE  SEIIVICE  OF  SONG. 


295 


praise,  felt  eitlier  by  congregations,  families,  or 
individuals,  wliicli  may  not  be  supplied  from  the 
one  thousand  and  sixty-three  hymns  and  doxolo- 
gies  of  which  the  work  is  composed.  While  it 
covers  the  entire  held  of  theology  and  Christian 
experience,  it  embraces  no  less  than  thirty-seven 
varieties  of  metre. 

3.  We  notice  the  literary  and  poetical  excellence 
of  the  hymns.  On  this  point  but  little  need  be 
added  to  the  simple  statement  that  the  book  is 
indebted  to  the  sanctified  genius  of  upwards  of 
one  hundred  pious  lyrists.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  some  of  the  authors,  with  the  number 
of  hymns  composed  by  each :  C.  Wesley  542, 
Watts  151,  Doddridge  62,  J.  Wesley  37,  Mont- 
gomery 21,  Newton  16,  Cowper  11,  Beddome  11, 
Gibbons  9,  Heber  7,  A.  Steele  8,  S.  Wesley,  Jr., 
7,  Hart  6,  Brady  and  Tate  6,  Addison  5,  Grant  5, 
and  142  by  eighty-five  other  authors. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  too,  that  only  the 
choice  productions  of  these  illustrious  votaries  of 
song  have  been  admitted.  We  may  safely  say 
that,  in  procuring  materials  for  this  justly  popular 
Hymn-Book,  the  whole  world  of  sacred  poetry, 
then  extant,  was  laid  under  contribution. 

4.  The  crowning  excellency  of  the  book  is  its 
Orthodoxy  and  its  Spirituality.  The  tenets  which 
it  inculcates  have  been  rigidly  scrutinized,  and  no 
heterodoxy  has  been  discovered.  The  few  stanzas 
which  have  been  considered  by  some  as  of  doubt- 


296 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOITG. 


ful  signification,  are  satisfactorily  explained  when 
subjected  to  the  ordinary  rules  of  interpretation. 
The  Bishops  in  their  preface  remark :  "  This 
Hymn-Book  is  truly  Wesleyan,  or  rather  Scrip- 
tural in  its  sentiments,  also  in  the  prominence 
given  to  those  subjects  which  are  of  the  greatest 
importance  in  the  Christian  life." 

Many  of  these  hymns  are  also  marked  by  a 
spiritual  buoyancy — a  holy  joyfulness — that  ad- 
mirably fits  them  for  purposes  of  worship.  Some 
of  them,  it  is  true,  are  penitential  and  precatory, 
and  it  is  well  for  us  sometimes  to  sing  our  prayers. 
We  worship  God  by  making,  in  faith,  an  humble, 
direct  appeal  to  Him  as  the  Author  of  our  being 
and  the  Father  of  our  m^ercies. 

Some  of  the  pieces  in  the  book  are  of  a  didactic 
cast ;  but  they  are  very  far  from  being  prosy  homi- 
lies. They  first  speak  forcibly  of  the  greatness 
and  goodness  of  God,  and  then  call  upon  us,  as 
with  a  trumpet's  voice,  to  rise  up  and  render  to 
Him  the  thanks  and  the  adoration  which  are 
justly  His  due. 

But  a  large  proportion  of  the  hymns  under  review- 
are  properly  hymns  of  praise,  precisely  such  as 
ought  to  constitute  at  least  three-fourths  of  our 
songs  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  We  have  preach- 
ing in  the  sermon,  and  prayer  before  and  after  it ; 
therefore,  if  our  hymns  are  mostly  praying  and 
preaching  hymns,  a  tiresome  monotony  in  the 
service  is  apt  to  be  the  result.    Let  an  agreeable 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


297 


variety,  and  at  tlie  same  time  a  graceful  and 
effective  homogeneity,  be  imparted  to  the  worship 
by  incorporating  into  it  prayer,  preaching,  and 
praise,  in  due  proportions. 

The  Hymn-Book  of  which  we  speak  is  good ;  let 
it  be  judiciously  used.  On  every  occasion  of 
public  and  social  worship,  as  a  rule,  would  it  not 
be  well  for  the  minister  to  select  at  least  two 
hymns  of  praise  ?  The  Rev.  Henry  Allon  says, 
perhaps  too  emphatically :  "  Church-song  is  re- 
stricted to  the  lyrical  form  of  poetry,  for  this  alone 
can  express  the  consentaneous  emotion  and  wor- 
ship of  a  congregation.  It  does  not,  therefore, 
tolerate  didactic  poetry — hymns  which  are  merely 
disguised  sermons,  which  expound  doctrines,  or 
analyze  feelings.  It  (Church-song)  is  the  expres- 
sion of  feeling,  not  the  description  of  it.  A  con- 
gregation can  not  sing  a  creed  or  a  homily.  It 
may  not  preach  to  God;  it  can  not  preach  to 
itself." 

For  the  purposes  of  worship,  the  preference  is 
certainly  to  be  given  to  such  hymns  as 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name — " 

"  Come  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs 
"With  angels  round  the  throne." 

What  we  especially  need  in  our  Church- 
song,  is  the  eagle's  wings  upon  which  the  pious 
soul  may  soar  Sun-ward.  These  we  have  in 
the  book  under  review — pure,  seraphic,  sublime 


298 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOJS^G. 


thouglits.  AVe  miglit  also  enumerate  among  the 
minor  excellencies  of  the  Hymn-Book,  the  copious 
index ;  the  titles  prefixed  to  all  the  hymns,  and 
the  authors'  names  which,  having  been  ascertained 
with  great  care,  accompany  their  hymns  respect- 
ively, only  a  few  pieces  in  the  book  being  anony- 
mous. 

"We  need  scarcely  add  that  this  collection  of 
Hymns  is,  in  our  opinion,  fully  equal  to  any  with 
which  we  are  acquainted.  It  is,  therefore,  confi- 
dently ofi"ered  as  a  complete  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion— "  What  should  we  sing?" 

We  have  no  disposition  to  ignore  the  hymn- 
books  used  by  other  Churches  than  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  but  have  selected  for 
special  notice  the  one  with  which  we  are  most 
familiar. 

If  anything  more  is  desired  in  the  line  of  Sacred 
Lyrics,  we  would  heartily  recommend  a  neat  vol- 
ume which  was  compiled  by  the  Chairman  of  the 
Committee  which  prepared  the  Hymn-Book.  It 
is  entitled  "  Songs  of  Zion :  A  Supplement  to 
the  Hymn-Book."  It  contains  five  hundred  and 
three  excellent  songs,  a  few  of  which  claim 
the  Editor  as  their  author.  Many  of  these  spirit- 
ual songs  are  among  the  most  admired  specimens 
of  sacred  poetry ;  and  the  Miscellany,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  book,  contains  many  of  the  most  pop- 
ular and  stirring  pieces  known  to  the  Church. 
The  "  Songs  of  Zion "  certainly  deserve  to  take 


TJIE  SKKVICK  OF  SONTr. 


299 


the  place  of  all  the  objectionable  song-books 
which  are  published  and  sold  merely  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gain. 

As  it  regards  Hymns  for  children,  the  Hymn 
Book,  the  "  Songs  of  Zion,"  and  the  "  Hymns  for 
Schools  and  Families,"  afford  many  excellent 
pieces  suited  to  the  nursery  or  the  Sunday  School. 
Whatever  is  lacking  in  this  department  will, 
doubtless,  be  fully  supplied  by  the  Sunday  School 
H3^mn  and  Tune  Book,  issued  from  Nashville. 

We  cannot  look  upon  these  various,  and  most 
excellent  collections  of  Hymns  and  Songs  without 
expressing  regret  that  they  should  be  so  little 
studied  by  those  for  whose  especial  beneht  they 
have  been  published.  How  many  thousands  of 
the  intelligent  members  of  the  Church  have  never 
yet  given  their  Hymn-Book  a  careful  reading ! 
How  many  of  the  ministers  have  contented  them- 
selves with  using  the  more  familiar  pieces,  without 
exploring  the  invaluable  treasures  contained  in 
the  book,  which  they  usa,  perhaps,  daily !  It  is  a 
very  interesting,  and  a  very  profitable  exercise  to 
peruse  the  volume  carefully,  criticising  every 
stanza,  and  marking  every  hymn,  as  didactic, 
precatory,  or  as  a  hymn  of  praise.  In  this  way, 
many  most  beautiful  couplets  and  stanzas  will, 
for  the  first  time,  attract  the  reader's  attention,  and 
many  admirable  hymns  hitherto  unused  by  him 
will  be  discovered.  This  exercise  will  prove  to  be 
most  beneficial  in  a  spiritual  point  of  view,  and 


300 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


cannot  fail  to  produce  a  vastly  higher  apprecia- 
tion of  the  book  than  was  previously  felt. 

Among  other  excellencies  of  the  Hymn-Book 
under  review,  we  have  mentioned  the  fact  that  the 
authors'  names,  respectively,  are  prefixed  to  nearly 
all  the  hymns.  Many  of  these  hymns,  apart  from 
those  composed  by  Watts  and  Wesley,  are  favorite 
pieces  which  have  been  used  by  thousands  of  those 
w^ho  now  sing  with  the  angels  and  the  redeemed 
in  heaven. 

A  brief  account  of  the  writers  of  some  of 
them  may  not  be  unacceptable."^  We  begin  with 
the  Rev.  John  Newton,  who  wrote — 

"How  tedious  and  tasteless  the  hours — " 
"Approach  my  soul  the  mercy  seat — " 
"Amazing  grace!  how  sweet  the  sound — " 
"In  evil  long  I  took  delight — " 
"Though  troubles  assail  and  dangers  affright — " 

and  eleven  others  in  the  Collection. 

Mr.  Newton  Avas  the  son  of  respectable  parents, 
and  received  the  rudiments  of  a  classical  educa- 
tion. His  father  was  a  mariner,  and  the  son  also 
went  to  sea.  After  a  series  of  strange  adventures 
by  sea  and  land,  he  was  finally  "impressed"  and 
carried  on  board  of  an  English  vessel  of  war, 
which  was  about  to  sail  for  the  East  Indies.  He 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  midshipman,  but  his 
conduct  was  extremely  irregular.  At  length  in  a 
fit  of  folly  he  deserted  from  the  service ;  but,  being 

^Condensed  from  "Methodist  Hymnology,"  by  D.  Creamer,  Esq. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


301 


retaken,  he  was  brought  in  chains  to  the  vessel, 
was  publicly  flogged,  and  expelled  from  the  quar- 
ter-deck. He  finally  entered  into  the  service  of  an 
English  slave-dealer  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa. 
This  was  in  the  year  1746.  Here  his  degradation 
and  sufi'erings  were  extreme.  He  tells  us  that 
while  he  was  sick  with  a  burning  fever,  he  often 
found  it  diflicult  to  procure  a  draught  of  water ; 
and  that  when  his  appetite  returned,  his  hunger 
was  often  appeased  by  the  food  which  was  secretly 
brought  to  him  by  the  slaves  who  were  in  chains, 
from  their  own  scanty  supplies.  He  also  suflfered 
greatly  for  want  of  clothes,  and  was  sometimes 
exposed  to  incessant  rains,  accompanied  with 
strong  winds,  for  thirty  or  forty  hours  together, 
without  any  shelter  whatever.  He  sometimes 
stood  on  the  rocks  and  washed  his  clothes,  and 
then  let  them  dry  on  his  person  while  he  slept. 
And,  worse  than  all,  his  heart,  according  to  his 
own  confession,  was  darker  than  his  outward  con- 
dition. 

This  is  the  same  John  Xewton,  who  afterward 
became  the  eminent  minister  and  author,  so  well 
known  for  his  numerous  '"Letters"  on  religious 
subjects,  and  the  "  Olney  Hymns,"  which  he  wrote 
in  connection  with  Cowper,  jS'ewton  being'  the 
author  of  all  of  them  with  the  exception  of  about 
sixty.  He  was  a  poet  of  very  humble  order,  but  his 
hymns  are  highly  prized  as  the  sincere  effusions  of 
a  loving  heart. 


302 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


The  R-ev.  John  Cennick  is  designated  as  the 
author  of 

"Jesus  my  all,  to  heaven  is  gone," 
"Children  of  the  heavenly  King." 

In  the  year  1739,  Mr.  Cennick  became  acquainted 
with  Messrs.  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  and  was 
appointed  by  the  former  his  first  teacher  in  Kings- 
wood  School.  This  appointment  was  probably 
made  on  the  recommendation  of  Mr.  Whitefield, 
whose  example  in  preaching  Calvinistic  doctrines 
was  followed  by  Mr.  Cennick.  He  left  Kings- 
wood,  after  which  he  joined  Mr.  Whitefield,  and 
became  very  popular  for  a  time.  Subsequently 
he  joined  the  Moravians,  in  connection  with  whom 
he  remained  until  his  death,  in  the  year  1775. 
He  is  spoken  of  as  possessing  a  sweet  simplicity 
of  spirit,  with  ardent  zeal  in  the  cause  of  Christ, 
and  is  considered  the  founder  of  the  Moravian 
Churches  in  Dublin  and  the  north  of  Ireland. 
His  hymns  are  upward  of  eight  hundred  in  num- 
ber, and  fill  two  thick  volumes ;  but  the  most  of 
them  are  mere  doggerel.  The  two  which  we  have 
mentioned,  however,  are  among  the  most  popular 
and  useful  of  our  hymns. 

Mr.  Cennick  also  wrote  several  volumes  of 
"  Village  Discourses,"  which  still  circulate  among 
the  Calvinistic  Dissenters  in  England. 

"  Come,  Thou  fount  of  every  blessing," 

has  been  ascribed  to  the  Rev.  Robert  Robinson, 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


303 


but  its  authorship  is  now  attributed  to  Lady  Hun- 
tingdon, the  pious,  gifted,  and  distinguished 
patroness  of  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  in  Great 
Britain,  in  the  time  of  the  Wesley  s  and  Wliitefield. 

That  old  favorite  hymn, 

"On  Jordan's  stormy  banks — " 

and  three  others  in  the  Collection,  are  said  to 
have  been  written  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Stennett, 
D.  D.  He  was  a  native  of  Exeter,  England,  and 
was  ordained  to  the  pastoral  office  in  the  Baptist 
Church  in  the  year  1758,  he  being  then  thirty- one 
years  of  age.  After  exercising  himself  in  the 
office  of  the  ministry  with  great  acceptability 
and  usefulness  for  thirty-seven  years,  Dr.  Sten- 
nett died  in  1795,  in  his  sixty-eighth  year.  In 
the  year  1824,  his  works,  with  an  account  of 
his  life  and  writings,  were  published  in  three 
octavo  volumes.  His  hymns,  only  thirty-four  in 
number,  after  those  of  Watts  and  Wesley,  are 
among  the  best  in  the  English  language. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Joseph  Hart  for 
the  following : 

"Come  ye  sinners,  poor  and  needy — " 
"Once  more  we  come  before  our  God — " 
"  O,  for  a  glance  of  Heavenly  day — " 
"That  doleful  night  before  His  death — " 
"  Prayer  is  appointed  to  convey — " 
"This,  this  is  the  God  we  adore." 

Mr.  Hart,  late  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Lon- 


304 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


don,  published  in  tlie  year  1759,  a  volume  of 
"  Hymns  on  Various  Subjects,  with  The  Author's 
Experience."  In  his  Preface,  it  is  said — "  The 
following  Hymns  were  composed  partly  from  sev- 
eral passages  of  Scripture  laid  on  my  heart,  or 
opened  to  my  understanding,  from  time  to  time, 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  or  else  hinted  to  me  by 
other  Christians  (of  which  latter  there  are  indeed 
very  few) :  partly  from  impressions  felt  under 
different  frames  of  spirit  at  the  times  when  they 

were  respectively  written  I  desire 

wholly  to  submit  them,  with  myself,  to  the  all- 
wise  disposal  of  that  God,  the  sweet,  enlivening 
influences  of  whose  blessed  Spirit  I  often  felt 

while  they  were  composing."  

Although  Mr.  Hart  must  be  numbered  among 
the  least  of  the  poets,  yet  some  of  his  Hymns 
have  become  an  imperishable  inheritance  to  the 
people  of  God.    In  doctrine  he  was  Calvinistic. 

Bishop  Reginald  Heber  wrote — 

"  From  Greenland's  icy  mountains," 

"  Brightest  and  best  of  the  sons  of  the  morning," 

and  six  others  of  the  "Hymns." 

He  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  the 
year  1783.  While  a  student,  he  greatly  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  obtaining  several  prizes ; 
soon  after  which  he  was  elected  to  a  fellowship 
in  All  Souls'  College,  when  he  visited  Germany, 
Russia,   and  the  Crimea.    For  several  years 


THE  sp:rvice  of  song. 


305 


after  his  return,  lie  devoted  liimself  zealously 
to  liis  duties  as  a  parochial  priest.  On  the 
death  of  Bishop  Middleton,  he  accepted  the  See 
of  Calcutta,  and  subsequently  made  visitations 
through  various  districts  of  his  very  extensive 
diocese.  Having  arrived  at  Tirutchinopoli,  in  the 
discharge  of  his  Episcopal  duties,  April  1,  1826, 
the  next  day,  while  bathing,  he  was  seized  with 
an  apoplectic  fit,  of  which  he  died.  Bishop  Heber 
is  said  to  have  been  an  excellent  man,  and  a  zeal- 
ous advocate  of  the  cause  of  Christ. 

In  the  year  1827,  a  small  volume  of  hymns 
written  by  him  was  published,  in  relation  to  which, 
it  is  said,  "they breathe  a  devout  spirit,  recognize 
the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and,  as 
poetical  compositions,  some  of  them  possess  con- 
siderable beauty."  The  Bishop's  best  composition 
in  hymnic  verse,  and  the  one  which  has  given  him 
the  greatest  reputation,  is  his  well  known  "  Mis- 
sionary H^^mn,"  of  which  we  have  made  mention. 

We  must  close  these  brief  sketches  with  a  few 
remarks  in  regard  to  Bishop  Kenn,  the  author  of 
that  excellent  and  oft-sung  doxology  —  "Praise 
God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 

Thomas  Kenn,  some  time  Bishop  of  Bath  and 
Wells,  was  born  in  the  year  1G37,  and  died  in  the 
year  1710.  He  had  the  double  honor  of  being  one 
of  the  seven  prelates  sent  to  the  Tower  for  pro- 
testing against  the  tyrannical  usurj^ations  of 
spiritual  authority  by  James  II.,  and  also  of  con- 


306 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


scientiously  vacating  his  See  ratlier  than  take  the 
oatlis  to  William  III.,  after  having  sworn  alle- 
giance to  his  predecessor.  His  poems  are  numer- 
ous and  of  considerable  merit,  though  he  is  now 
generally  known  only  by  three  —  the  Morning^ 
Evening^  and  Midniglit  Hymns,  to  each  of  which 
is  affixed  the  great  Doxology  to  which  we  have 
alluded.  These  were  originally  published  in  the 
year  1697. 

In  reference  to  these  hymns,  Mr.  Montgomery 
remarks  :  "  Had  he  endowed  three  hospitals,  he 
might  have  been  less  a  benefactor  to  posterity. 
There  is  exemplary  plainness  of  speech,  manly 
vigor  of  thought,  and  consecration  of  heart,  in 
these  pieces." 

The  following  are  the  first  lines  of  each  of  them : 

"Awake,  my  soul,  and  with  the  sun" — 
"All  praise  to  Thee,  my  God,  this  night " — 
"My  God,  I  now  from  sleep  awake." 

We  close  these  biographical  sketches  with  de- 
vout thanksgivings  to  our  Heavenly  Father  for 
the  Bible — the  grand  text -book  of  sacred  poetry, 
and  also  for,  so  many  pious  and  gifted  writers  of 
"  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs." 

But  the  world's  great  volume  of  holy  song  is 
not  yet  complete.  "  Who  may  presume  to  write 
'  Finis '  upon  any  human  form  of  prayer,  or  col- 
lection of  songs  ?  When  Ambrose  has  brought  his 
contributions  to  worship-song,  is  Gregory  to  be 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG.  307 

forbidden?  When  Gregory  has  completed  his 
Hymna?ium,  is  Luther  to  be  interdicted  ?  When 
Luther  has  filled  the  Churches  of  the  Reformation 
with  sacred  song,  is  Gerhardt  to  be  declared  con- 
traband? When  Sternhold  and  Hopkins  have 
presented  their  version  of  the  Psalms,  is  Watts  to 
be  delivered  over  to  '  uncovenanted  mercies  ? ' 
When  Watts  has  completed  his  wonderful  canon 
of  psalms  and  hymns,  are  the  contributions  of 
Wesley  and  Cowper,  Montgomery  and  Keble  to 
be  put  into  the  Apocrypha  ?  Who  will  presume  to 
discriminate  the  inspiration?  Blessed  be  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church,  its  hymnology  has 
hitherto  been  a  perennial  inspiration  of  its  spirit- 
ual life.  The  great  gift  of  sacred  song  has  been 
restricted  to  no  age  or  nation :  some  great  voice 
has  ever  been  heard  attesting  its  endowment  with 
'the  gift  and  faculty  divine.'  And  it  were  as 
foolish  as  it  would  be  presumptuous  to  refuse  its 
later  products.  The  ever  varying  and  ever  devel- 
oping spiritual  life  of  each  generation  will  neces- 
sarily adapt  and  create  its  own  hymnology  ;  and 
the  presumption  is,  the  inspiration  of  the  later 
Christian  ages  will  be  more  precious  than  that 
of  the  earlier.  The  ever  enriching  thought — the 
ever  enlarging  experience — the  ever  deepening 
sanctity  of  the  Church,  will  produce  a  richer, 
nobler  song."  * 

*Allon. 


308 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


.     SECTION  IV.— WHY  SHOULD  WE  SING? 


CHAPTER  I. 

WE    SHOULD    PRAISE    GOD    FOR   WHAT   HE    IS  IN 
HIMSELF  AND  FOR  WHAT  HE  IS  TO  US. 

What  constitutes  the  Glory  of  God? — The  work  of  Creation  proves 
God  to  be  Omnipotent — His  power  as  great  in  the  Moral  as  in 
the  Natural  World — The  Wisdom  of  God  commensurate  with 
His  Power — God  is  Love — The  Mercy  of  God  the  most  at- 
tractive form  of  His  Goodness  —  We  are  overwhelmed  with 
emotion  when  we  consider  what  God  is  to  us. 

The  question — AYliy  sliould  we  sing  ? — is  one  of 
fundamental  importance,  and  lience,  altliough  it 
has  been,  in  effect,  answered  in  the  preceding 
chapters,  yet  it  deserves  a  more  explicit  notice ; 
and,  for  its  further  consideration,  may  the  Holy 
Spirit  suitably  impress  our  hearts. 

We  should  praise  God  for  what  He  is  in  Himself. 
"When  we  undertake  to  contemplate  the  Divine 
character,  we  find  ourselves  overwhelmed  with 
the  grandeur  of  the  theme,  and  all  we  can  hope  to 
do  is  to  grasp  and  realize  as  far  as  we  may  those 
simple  and  yet  sublime  revelations  of  the  nature 
of  the  Deity  which  have  been  graciously  made 
to  us. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOWG. 


309 


Infinite  Power,  infinite  Wisdom,  and  infinite 
Goodness,  constitute  the  glory  of  God. 

First,  we  have  the  attribute  of  Power.  The 
God  in  whom  we  trust  must  be  "  mighty  and  able 
to  save."  If  we  are  to  look  to  Him  for  the  pardon 
of  sin ;  for  spiritual  regeneration ;  for  daily  bread, 
both  for  the  soul  and  the  body ;  for  protection  from 
danger;  for  support  and  comfort  amid  our  trials 
and  sorrows ;  for  victory  over  the  last  enemy ;  for 
deliverance  from  the  dominion  of  the  grave,  and 
for  "life  and  immortality;" — then  we  must  be 
assured  that  the  Arm  upon  which  we  lean  is 
Omnipotent  and  Eternal.  With  this  conviction 
we  turn  to  the  Scriptures,  and  the  first  sentence 
on  the  first  page  satisfies  our  anxious  minds. 
"  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and 
the  earth."  If  He  created  all  things.  He  must 
have  existed  before  all  things.  He  is,  therefore, 
self-existent,  and  independent  of  all  created  things. 
Then,  we  will  not  fear  "  though  the  earth  be  re- 
moved, and  though  the  mountains  be  carried  into 
the  midst  of  the  sea." 

The  fact  that  the  w^ork  of  creation  is  ascribed 
to  God,  is  conclusive  evidence  of  His  Omnipo- 
tence. By  the  ability  w^hich  He  gives  us,  we  can 
change  the  form  or  the  color  of  matter,  but  no 
man — no  angel — can  create  the  smallest  mote 
which  floats  in  the  evening  sunlight,  or  the  impal- 
pable particles  of  dust  which  rise  up  from  beneath 
our  feet.    All  the  boasted  divinities  of  the  heathen 


310 


THE  SEEVICE  OF  SONG. 


are  utterly  mute,  sightless,  and  inanimate,  but 
"  our  God  made  the  heavens."  He  created  the 
earth  and  all  the  other  planets,  and  commissioned 
them  for  their  interminable  journey  around  the 
magnificent  centre  of  the  system.  He  sprinkled 
the  heavens  with  suns — peopled  immensity  with 
countless  millions  of  ponderous  and  radiant  worlds, 
and  forever  upholds  them  by  the  word  of  His  pow- 
er. And  this  is  but  His  handiwork — the  work  of 
His  fingers. 

In  the  moral  world  His  power  is  equally  great. 
He  has  already  triumphed  gloriously  over  death 
and  hell,  and  has  borne  millions  of  the  ransomed 
to  the  heaven  of  heavens. 

The  power  of  God  remains  unimpaired  by  the 
lapse  of  ages.  From  eternity  to  eternity,  He  con- 
tinues ever  the  same,  "without  variableness  or 
shadow  of  turning." 

Amid  the  revolutions  and  decay  which  mark 
the  annals  of  time.  He  still  sits  supreme  on  His 
throne — the  "King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords ;" 
and  is,  for  aught  we  know  to  the  contrary,  con- 
tinually calling  into  being  new  worlds,  that  they 
may  everlastingly  roll  and  shine  to  His  praise. 

The  final  conflagration,  while  it  will  overwhelm 
the  ungodly  with  dismay,  will  only'serve  to  thrill 
the  believer's  heart  with  higher  joy  than  he  ex- 
perienced during  the  succession  of  Summer  and 
Winter,  seed-time  and  harvest,  and  day  and  night. 
He  looks  out  upon  the  sea  of  flame  as  it  rolls  its 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


311 


towering  billows  from  pole  to  pole,  and  regards 
the  grand  catastrophe  as  a  stupendous  display  of 
the  Divine  Omnipotence — the  prompt  and  consol- 
ing fulfilment  of  prophecy.  As  he  gazes  ujDon  the 
scene,  he  exclaims:  "  Thou,  Lord,  in  the  begin- 
ning hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth,  and 
the  heavens  are  the  work  of  Thy  hands.  They 
shall  perish,  but  Thou  remainest ;  and  they  all 
shall  wax  old  as  doth  a  garment ;  and  as  a  vest- 
ure shalt  Thou  fold  them  up,  and  they  shall  be 
chanored :  but  Thou  art  the  same,  and  Thv  vears 
shall  not  fail." 

"Hope,  undismayed,  shall  o'er  the  ruins  smile, 
And  light  her  torch  at  nature's  funeral  pile." 

We  are  further  taught  in  the  Scriptures  that  the 
Wisdom  of  God  is  commensurate  with  His  Power. 
The  doctrine  of  Omniscience  is  also  closel}^  allied 
to  that  of  Omnipresence.  When  we  reflect  upon 
our  own  ignorance,  and  when  we  consider  that 
there  are  mysteries  which  angels  cannot  solve, 
then  it  is  that  the  idea  of  infinite  wisdom  becomes 
truly  grand.  Of  course  our  conceptions  of  that 
which  is  infinite  must  be  imperfect,  and  yet  it  is 
our  privilege  and  our  duty  to  contemplate  this 
attribute  of  the  Deity  with  awe  and  delight.  The 
wisdom  of  God  surveys  the  eternity  that  is  past; 
at  the  present  time,  it  surrounds  and  penetrates 
all  matter,  searches  all  hearts,  fills  immensity ; 
and  with  unerring  certainty,  travels  over  the 
limitless  future.    There  is  no  song  in  heaven 


312 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


wliicli  the  all-wise  God  does  not  hear ;  no  trans- 
action on  earth  which  He  does  not  witness ;  no 
pang  endured  by  the  lost  in  hell  of  which  He  is 
not  cognizant.  Well  may  the  Psalmist  exclaim  : 
"  "Whither  shall  I  go  from  Thy  Spirit  ?  or  whither 
shall  I  flee  from  Thy  presence  ?"  God  is  with  the 
multitude  in  the  city ;  with  the  cottager  on  the 
mountain-side ;  with  the  pilgrim  as  he  pursues  his 
lonely  march  through  the  desert;  with  the  mari- 
ner in  mid-ocean,  and  with  the  exile  on  his  deso- 
late island. 

In  death,  our  spirits  return  to  that  God  who 
gave  them,  and  the  mortal  part  is  watched  and 
guarded  until  the  time  comes  for  its  everlasting 
reunion  with  the  soul.  Our  Omniscient  Creator 
and  righteous  Lord  will  ultimately  "  bring  every 
w^ork  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing, 
whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil." 

How  surpassingly  excellent  and  wonderful  is 
the  wisdom  of  God  ! 

But  the  combination  of  wisdom  and  power  is 
only  calculated  to  excite  alarm,  unless  evidence  be 
given  that  these  attributes  will  operate  for  us,  and 
not  against  us.  No  enemy  is  so  much  to  be  dread- 
ed as  the  one  who  confronts  us  with  far-seeing 
sagacity  and  unlimited  ability.  Contemplating 
the  Divine  character,  therefore,  we  anxiously 
ask — is  God  kindly  disposed  toward  us?  or  is 
He  our  implacable  and  invincible  foe  ?  We  turn 
to  the  Record,  and  there  v/e  read  that — God  is 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


313 


Love.  The  goodness  of  God  is  prominently  set 
forth  on  almost  every  page  of  the  Scriptures.  The 
Psalmist,  addressing  the  Deity,  says,  beautifully, 
forcibly,  and  comprehensively — "  Thou  art  good, 
and  Thou  doest  good."  God  is  good  in  principle, 
and  good  in  action.  As  it  regards  His  nature,  He 
is  emphatically  the  gracious  one.  As  it  regards 
His  dealings  with  His  creatures,  He  is  the  all- 
bountiful  POURER  forth  of  ALL  GOOD.  He  is 
the  grand  source  whence  all  goodness  flows, 
whether  it  be  found  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  Good 
angels  or  good  men  are  so  only  because  they  have 
been  brought  into  association  with  the  God  of 
goodness. 

Jehovah,  it  is  true,  is  just;  but  He  is  not  tyran- 
nical. Before  His  wrath  smites.  His  love  wooes. 
He  inflicts  vengeance,  but  only  upon  those  who 
have  rebelliously  trampled  upon  His  goodness. 
How  shall  we  compute  or  measure  the  exuberant, 
unparalleled,  unspeakable  wealth  of  the  Divine 
love  ?  We  survey  as  far  as  we  can  the  innumera- 
ble rivers  of  beneficence  which  flow  out  from  this 
grand,  exhaustless  Reservoir,  and,  overwhelmed 
with  wonder  and  gratitude,  we  exclaim  : 

"  Its  streams  the  whole  creation  reach!" 

The  Mercy  of  God  is  certainly  to  us  the  most 
enchanting  form  of  His  goodness — the  most  gra- 
cious display  of  His  love.  The  history  of  the 
angels — their  holiness  and  happiness — is  indeed 


314 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


a  shining  record  of  the  goodness  of  God.  The 
story  of  man's  stay  in  Eden  has  His  unutterable 
love  both  for  its  warp  and  woof.  But  we  are 
overwhelmed  with  pleasing  astonishment  when 
we  call  to  mind  the  fall  of  man,  and  the  fact 
that  He  has  devised  means  whereby  His  banished 
ones  are  brought  back  to  His  loving  embrace. 

If  it  were  possible  for  us  to  get  beyond  the 
domain  of  the  King  Eternal ;  if  we  could  forget 
that  He  is  the  Author  of  our  being  and  the  Father 
of  our  mercies ;  if  from  our  remote  stand-point 
we  could  view  the  character  and  works  of  Jeho- 
vah as  disinterested  spectators,  even  then  we 
should  be  filled  with  awe  and  wonder  at  the  con- 
templation of  a  spectacle  so  august  and  glorious. 
We  should  be  excited,  attracted — sweetly  and 
powerfully  drawn  toward  this  embodiment  of 
unlimited  power  and  goodness,  directed  by  infinite 
wisdom.  But  if  this  would  be  the  effect  of  a 
distant,  and  merely  abstract  view  of  the  Deity, 
what  must  be  the  emotions  of  the  soul  when,  un- 
der the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  we  sing — 

"This  awful  God  is  ours, 
Our  Father  and  our  Love ; 
He  will  send  down  His  heavenly  powers, 
To  carry  us  above  !"  , 

O,  how  expressive  of  condescending  regard  is 
that  word  Mercy  !  Literally — the  pain  of  His 
heart.  We  read  of  His  "  tender  mercies,"  and  of 
"  the  riches  of  His  goodness." 


THE  SEKVICE  OF  SONG. 


315 


In  Creation  we  see  the  Hand  of  God ;  in  Re- 
demption, we  see  H-is  heart. 

"  Here  the  whole  Deity  is  known, 
Nor  dares  a  creature  guess 
Which  of  the  glories  brighter  shone, 
The  justice  or  the  grace." 

"  Now  the  full  glories  of  the  Lamb 
Adorn  the  heavenly  plains : 
Bright  seraphs  learn  Immanuel's  name. 
And  try  their  choicest  strains." 

In  this  matter  of  love,  God  must  forever  stand 
pre-eminent.  "  Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his 
friends."  The  patriot  may  fall  in  defense  of  his 
loved  ones,  and  the  "green  graves  of  his  sires;" 
the  mother,  traveling  over  the  snows  of  Russia, 
may  cast  herself  to  the  ravenous  beasts  who  are 
in  pursuit,  that  while  they  are  devouring  her,  the 
children,  who  are  dearer  to  her  than  life  itself, 
may  escape ;  but  "  God  commendeth  His  love  to- 
ward us  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ 
died  for  us." 

"  O,  Lamb  of  God,  was  ever  pain,  " 
"Was  ever  love  like  Thine." 

Human  nature  "  sunk  in  shame,"  is  to  be  digni- 
fied—glorified. So  far  as  we  can  determine,  no 
angel  in  heaven  has  so  much  cause  to  thank  and 
praise  God  as  have  ransomed  sinners.  Christ 
was  not  ashamed  to  call  us  brethren— to  take  upon 
Himself  our  nature— and  in  the  union  of  the  human 
with  the  Divine  nature,  to  ascend  to  Heaven  and 


316 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


take  His  seat  at  tlie  riglit  hand  of  the  Father.  In 
His  triumphant  resurrection  and  ascension,  and 
admittance  into  glory  everlasting,  He  is  "  our 
forerunner." 

**  Up  to  the  Lord  our  flesh  shall  fly 
At  the  great  rising  day." 

It  is  thought  by  many  that  the  faithful  will  not 
only  be  "  equal  to  the  angels,"  but  our  nature 
having  been  united  to  the  Divine,  and  God  having 
made  for  us  an  infinite  sacrifice,  we  shall  stand 
nearest  the  throne,  and,  as  St.  John  seems  to  set 
forth,  will  be  leaders  in  the  song  of  Redemption. 

He  withholds  "  no  good  thing  "  from  His  obedi- 
ent children.  For  them  the  sun  shines — the  rain 
falls — the  flowers  bloom — the  earth  brings  forth 
its  fruits.  God  has  given  them  life,  and  health, 
and  friends,  and  a  safe  abode.  He  has  not  only 
bought  them  with  a  price ;  but  He  has  released 
them  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin,  and  has 
adopted  them  into  His  own  family.  K'ot  only 
does  Christ  reign  in  their  hearts,  but  they  are 
heirs  apparent  to  thrones  and  crowns  of  enduring 
stability  and  glory. 

Let  the  child  of  God  review  his  past  life  ; 
let  him  at  the  same  time  look  into  his  own  heart, 
and  he  will  find  abundant  reason  for  praise.  How 
often  has  God  delivered  him  from  temptation — 
soothed  him  in  sickness — solaced  him  in  seasons 
of  bereavement — guided  and  sustained  him  in  the 
midst  of  perplexity  and  disappointment,  and  given 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


317 


him  tlie  victory  over  Ms  spritual  foes.  Whence 
that  sense  of  security  which  he  continually  feels — 
that  unutterable  peace  and  joy — that  hope  full  of 
immortality  ? 

Let  the  believer,  in  imagination,  bring  near  the 
final  triumph  of  faith  over  sin  and  sorrow ;  death 
and  the  grave  ;  the  celestial  gates 

**  On  golden  hinges  turning," 

to  admit  the  way-worn  traveler  to  Zion,  and  the 
inefiable  and  endless  joys  consequent  upon  his 
"abundant  entrance"  into  that  city  whose  temple 
is  the  Lord  God  and  the  Lamb.  Let  him  survey 
the  awful  depths  of  that  hell  which  he  has  escaped 
and  the  delectable  mountains,  gilded  with  the 
golden  light  of  an  eternal  day,  on  whose  summits 
he  may  stand  in  glory  and  peace,  and  let  him  re- 
member that  this  "  great  salvation"  is  through  the 
unspeakable  love  of  our  Heavenly  Father  for  His 
rebellious  children — and  will  he  be  at  a  loss  for 
an  answer  to  the  question — Why  should  we  sing  ? 

To  all  these  inestimable  blessings,  present  and 
prospective,  the  heart  and  tongue  should  respond 
in  accents  of  adoring  love.  A  holy  rapture  should 
possess  the  soul ;  thanksgivings  burning  with  in- 
tensest  fervor  should  constantly  ascend  to  Him 
who  has  so  graciously  visited  us. 

When  we  essay  to  praise  a  God  so  glorious  in 
Himself,  and  so  unceasing  and  bountiful  in  His 
benefactions  to  us.  His  unworthy  creatures,  cold- 


318 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


ness  and  dullness  can  be  nothing  less  than  an 
abomination  in  His  sight.  Our  zeal  should  "  no 
languor  know."  Faith  should  bind  ns  to  the 
Cross  ;  Love  should  set  the  soul  on  fire,  and  angel- 
winged  Hope  should  waft  ns  onward  to  the  trans- 
porting scenes  of  the  radiant  future. 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


319 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    POWER    OF  SOI^G. 

It  banishes  the  evil  Spirit  from  Saul  —  Tyrtaeus  —  Vv'hat  Terpander 
did  with  the  Spartans  —  Alexander  —  Amabeus,  the  Harper  — 
The  Abyssinian  Trumpet  —  William  the  Conquerer  —  Effect  of 
Music  on  Murad  IV.  —  Music  at  the  battle  of  Quebec  in  1 760  — 
Haydn  moved  to  tears  —  The  Theatre  —  The  Starving  Lion 
Charmed  —  The  Singing  of  Cookman  —  Singing  by  Soldiers  in 
Mexico  —  Effect  of  a  Song  on  an  Actress  —  Song  at  Camp- 
meeting   The    Grey-headed    Gambler  The  Nobleman's 

Daughter  —  Reasons  why  we  should  Sing  —  "Sing  Praises  to 
God!   Sing  Praises!" 

Being  persuaded  that  the  general  estimate  of 
the  power  of  song  is  very  far  below  the  reality, 
we  would,  if  possible,  contribute  something 
toward  elevating  the  popular  appreciation  to  the 
proper  standard.  With  this  view,  we  call  atten- 
tion to  some  of  the  effects  which  music  has  pro- 
duced. 

Let  us  turn  to  the  following  brief,  but  beautiful 
and  wonderful  narrative :  "  It  came  to  pass,  when 
the  evil  spirit  from  God  was  upon  Saul,  that  David 
took  a  harp,  and  played  with  his  hand :  so  Saul 
was  refreshed,  and  was  well,  and  the  evil  spirit 
departed  from  him." 

Here  is  a  fact  to  be  believed,  whether  we  can 
solve  the  mystery  or  not.    The  music  from  David's 


320 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


harp  fell  upon  the  ear  of  the  unhappy  monarch 

* '  With  power  the  pulse  of  anguish  to  restrain, 
And  charm  the  evil  spirit  from  the  brain." 

When  the  prophet  Elisha  was  called  upon  by 
King  Jehoshaphat  to  prophesy  in  regard  to  the 
contemplated  battle,  his  mind  was  so  troubled  by 
the  improper  conduct  of  the  young  men  at  Bethel, 
and  their  dreadful  end,  that  he  was  disqualified 
for  the  work.  Hence,  he  said :  "  Now  bring  me  a 
minstrel.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  minstrel 
played,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him.'' 

Pythagoras  thought  that  the  practice  of  music 
would  correct  morals,  and  cure  all  the  diseases  of 
the  soul. 

Of  the  honor  in  which  minstrels  were  held, 
many  instances  occur  in  Ossian.  They  were  am- 
bassadors between  contending  chiefs,  and  their 
profession  was  held  sacred.  They  and  the  Druids, 
who  were  the  philosophers  and  priests  of  those 
times,  whose  interests  were  consolidated,  were  ex- 
empted from  taxes  and  military  service ;  and  so 
great  was  the  veneration  which  the  princes  enter- 
tained for  their  party,  and  so  highly  were  they 
delighted  with  their  strains,  that  they  sometimes 
pardoned  even  capital  offenses  for  a  song. 

The  celebrated  Tyrtaeus  was  not  only  a  warrior, 
but  also  a  poet  and  a  musician.  The  Spartans 
paid  him  the  highest  honors ;  and  the  soldiers, 
before  going  on  a  military  expedition,  were  sum- 

*  Many  of  these  items  are  taken  from  Hirst,  Hogarth,  and  Gould. 


THE  sekvicp:  of  song. 


321 


moned  to  the  king's  tent  to  listen  to  his  warlike 
songs. 

Thucydides  says  that  when  the  Lacedemonians 
went  into  battle,  it  was  the  practice  to  play  soft 
music  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  their  courage 
from  becoming  too  impetuous ;  but  that,  on  one 
occasion,  when  the  day  was  going  against  them, 
T^^rtaeus,  who  was  acting  the  part  of  a  musician, 
quitted  the  soft  Lydian  mode,  and  began  to  play 
in  the  Phrygian  style,  which  so  re-animated  the 
retiring  troops,  that  they  returned  to  the  charge 
and  gained  the  victory. 

Plutarch  relates  that  Terpander,  by  means  of 
his  music,  appeased  a  violent  sedition  among  the 
Spartans,  and  that  Solon,  merely  by  singing  a 
poem  of  his  own  composition  persuaded  the  Athe- 
nians to  renew  an  unsuccessful  war  which  they 
had  given  up  in  despair. 

Plntarch  also  mentions  that  when  the  celebrated 
flute-player,  Antigenides,  played  a  martial  air  be- 
fore Alexander,  that  monarch  became  so  inflamed 
that  he  sprang  from  the  table  and  seized  his  arms. 

Amabaeus,  the  harper,  whenever  he  sang  on  the 
stage,  was  paid  for  his  performance  an  amount 
nearly  equal  to  a  thousand  dollars,  Federal  money. 

Mr.  Bruce  states  that  the  Abyssinian  trumpet 
is  played  slowly  when  no  enemy  appears  in  sight ; 
but  when  the  enemy  is  near,  it  is  sounded  very 
quickly,  and  with  great  violence,  and  has  the  eff'ect 
of  transporting  the  soldiers  with  absolute  fury 

21 


322 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


and  madness,  making  tliem  so  regardless  of  life 
as  to  throw  themselves  with  gallantry  into  the 
very  midst  of  the  enemy.  The  same  effect  is  said 
to  be  produced  by  the  bagpipe  upon  the  Scottish 
Highlanders. 

When  William  fought  the  desperate  battle  of 
Hastings,  by  which  he  obtained  the  title  of  Con- 
queror, he  was  accompanied  by  minstrels. 

Luther  says  :  "  The  devil  specially  hates  good 
music,  because  thereby  men  are  made  joyful.  .  .  . 
Music  is  the  best  soother  of  a  troubled  man  where- 
by his  heart  is  again  quickened,  refreshed,  and 
made  contented.  It  gives  a  quiet  and  joyful  mind. 
My  affection  overflows  and  gushes  out  toward  it, 
so  often  has  it  refreshed  me,  and  relieved  me  from 
great  sorrows." 

He  says  to  a  friend  w^ho  was  afflicted  with 
melancholy :  "  If  the  devil  comes  again  and  puts 
gloomy  thoughts  and  cares  into  your  head,  i^ay, 
'Out,  devil!  I  must  now  sing  and  pray  to  my 
Lord  Christ!'  then  run  to  your  organ,  or  call  in 
your  good  friends,  and  sing  a  tune  or  two  till  you 
learn  to  defy  the  devil." 

On  another  occasion  he  remarked  :  "  Our  sing- 
ing distresses  the  devil,  and  hurts  his  feelings 
amazingly  ;  but  our  impotence,  and  complaining, 
and  groaning,  please  him  mightily,  and  make  him 
laugh  in  his  sleeve." 

The  barbarous  conqueror's  heart  is  not  proof 
against  the  softening  power  of  music.  When 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


323 


Murad  IV.  had  taken  Bagdad  by  assault,  in  the 
year  1637,  he  ordered  a  general  massacre  of  the 
inhabitants.  One  Persian  alone  dared  to  raise 
his  voice :  he  demanded  to  be  conducted  to  the 
Emperor,  as  having  something  of  importance  to 
communicate  before  he  died.  Having  prostrated 
himself  at  the  feet  of  Murad,  Scakculi — for  that 
was  the  Persian's  name — cried,  with  his  face  to 
the  earth,  "  Destroy  not,  O  Sultan,  with  me,  an 
art  of  more  value  than  the  whole  empire  ;  listen 
to  my  songs,  and  then  thou  shalt  command  my 
death."  Murad  consented.  Scakculi  drew  from 
under  his  robe  a  little  harp,  and  poured  forth,  ex- 
tempore, a  sort  of  romance  on  the  ruins  of  Bagdad. 
The  stern  Murad,  in  spite  of  the  shame  which  a 
Turk  feels  in  betraying  the  least  emotion,  was 
melted  into  tears,  and  commanded  the  massacre 
to  be  stopped. 

At  the  battle  of  Quebec,  in  the  year  1760,  while 
the  British  troops  were  retreating  in  great  disor- 
der, the  pipers  played  a  martial  air ;  the  retiring 
soldiers  heard,  and  returned  to  their  posts  with 
alacrity  and  courage. 

The  character  of  the  Peruvian  Indians  is  un- 
commonly sombre  at  the  present  time,  perhaps  in 
consequence  of  the  wrongs  which  they  have  suf- 
fered; but,  on  hearing  the  notes  of  the  jaina,  an 
instrument  of  very  simple  construction  made  of  a 
large  reed,  the  wildest  horde,  in  the  midst  of  up- 
roar and  debauchery,  are  instantly  subdued  into 


324 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


silence.  Tears  will  steal  into  the  eye,  and  the 
sobs  of  the  women  are  the  only  sounds  that  dis- 
turb the  almost  unearthly  music. 

The  vigorous  poetry  and  music  of  the  Marseilles 
Hymn,  acting  on  minds  already  excited  by  the 
events  of  a  momentous  crisis,  aroused  the  popula- 
tion of  France  to  an  enthusiasm  which  rose  to 
phrensy.  Such  is  the  influence  of  national  airs 
set  to  strong  and  stirring  words. 

Insanity,  it  is  said,  has  often  been  cured  by  the 
soothing  strains  of  music. 

When  Haydn  heard  a  psalm  sung  in  unison 
by  four  thousand  children,  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral, 
London,  he  was  moved  to  tears. 

It  is  supposed  that  one-half  of  those  who  fre- 
quent the  theatre  are  attracted  thither  by  the 
music. 

In  England,  the  power  of  music  was  tried  upon 
a  lion  with  most  surprising  effect.  The  animal, 
having  been  reduced  to  a  state  of  starvation,  food 
was  placed  before  him.  Just  as  he  commenced 
eating,  the  wooing  voice  of  music  was  made  to 
salute  his  ears.  The  voracious  starveling  instantly 
dropped  the  delicious  morsel  to  listen.  The  mu- 
sic ceased,  and  again  the  lion  proceeded  to  tear 
the  meat  with  that  terrific  energy  which  hunger  im- 
parts. But  the  rush  of  soothing  sounds  invariably 
produced,  forgetfulness  of  the  tempting  meal,  the 
experiment  being  repeatedly  tried  with  the  same 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


325 


result.  Even  the  skeleton  king  of  tlie  forest  is 
captivated  by  music's  charms. 

The  late  Rev.  Joseph  Slatterie,  of  Chatham, 
England,  was  once  walking  in  that  town,  when 
his  attention  was  arrested  by  a  ^^outhful  voice 
singing, 

"  The  sorrows  of  the  mind 

Be  banished  from  the  place; 
ReHgion  never  was  designed 
To  make  our  pleasures  less." 

Pleased  alike  with  the  sweetness  of  the  voice, 
and  the  cheerful  tones  in  which  the  stanza  was 
sung,  our  friend  looked  around  to  see  whence  the 
singing  proceeded ;  but  for  some  time  he  looked 
in  vain.  At  length  he  saw  a  little  sweep  with  his 
head  popping  out  of  a  chimney,  and  waving,  with 
a  sort  of  triumph,  his  brush  over  his  head.  O, 
said  the  venerable  minister,  it  made  me  weep  in 
gratitude  to  think  how  singing  the  praises  of  God 
contributes  to  make  even  a  poor  chimney-sweep 
happy ! 

A  minister  in  America,  who  was  a  stranger  to  the 
congregation,  was,  on  a  certain  occasion,  called  to 
officiate  in  a  cold  and  dreary  Church.  When  he 
entered  it,  the  wind  howled,  and  loose  clapboards 
and  window-shutters  clattered.  The  pulpit  stood 
high  above  the  first  floor;  there  was  no  stove,  but 
few  persons  in  the  Church,  and  they  beating  their 


326 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


hands  and  feet  to  keep  them  from  freezing.  He 
asked  himself:  "Can  I  preach  ?  Of  what  use  can 
it  be  ?  What  shall  I  do  ?  If  I  read  a  hymn,  can 
these  two  or  three  in  the  gallery  sing?"  He  con- 
cluded to  make  the  trial,  and  read, 

"Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul," — 

"  They  commenced,"  says  the  preacher,  "  and  the 
sound  of  a  single  female  voice  has  followed  me 
with  an  indescribably  pleasing  sensation  ever 
since,  and  probably  will  while  I  live.  The  voice, 
intonation,  articulation,  and  expression  seemed  to 
be  perfect.  I  was  warmed  inside  and  out,  and 
for  the  time  was  lost  in  rapture."  The  minister 
preached  with  unusual  freedom  and  success,  and 
learned  never  to  be  discouraged  b}^  unfavorable 
appearances. 

The  late  lamented  Cookman,  who  perished  in 
the  steamship  President,  is  said  to  have  been  a 
most  excellent  singer.  A  writer  says :  "  There 
was  no  place  for  a  choir  w^here  Cookman  sang. 
His  voice  was  melody  itself.  The  session  of  Con- 
gress was  about  to  close  upon  the  administration 
of  Mr.  Yan  Buren.  Mr.  Cookman  had  all  his 
arrangements  made  to  visit  England,  on  the 
steamer  President.  The  next  Sabbath  he  was  to 
take  leave  of  the  members  of  Congress  in  his  fare- 
well sermon.  The  day  came.  An  hour  before  the 
usual  time,  the  crowd  was  seen  filling  the  pave- 
ments of  the  avenue,  and  pressing  up  the  hill  to 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


327 


Representative  Hall,  which  was  soon  filled  to  over- 
flowing. Unable  to  get  seats,  many  went  away 
disappointed.  The  whole  space  on  the  rostrum 
and  steps  was  filled  with  Senators  and  Representa- 
tives. The  moment  had  come.  Mr.  Cookman, 
evidently  much  afi'ected,  kneeled  in  a  thrilling 
prayer,  and  rose  with  his  eyes  blinded  with  tears. 
His  voice  faltered  with  suppressed  emotion  as  he 
gave  out  the  hymn : 

"  'When  marshaled  on  the  nightly  plain.' 

"  It  was  sung  by  Mr.  Cookman  alone.  I  can 
yet,  in  imagination,  hear  his  voice  as  it  filled 
the  large  hall,  and  as  the  last  sounds,  with  their 
echoes,  died  away  in  the  dome." 

One  who  went  through  the  Mexican  campaign 
says  :  "  While  stopping  at  the  town  of  Matamoras, 
a  number  of  our  soldiers,  as  was  their  custom,  met 
together  to  spend  their  time  in  rude  and  noisy 
revelry.  Amid  these  social  gatherings,  the  sound 
of  vocal  and  instrumental  music  was  always  heard. 
Indeed,  the  majority  of  our  men  were  excellent 
singers ;  and,  as  they  came  from  various  parts  of 
the  Union,  the  favorite  airs  of  each  section  were 
soon  made  familiar.  Although  they  generally 
preferred  such  as  were  of  a  light  and  trifling 
cast,  still  they  often  sang  the  tunes  most  popu- 
lar with  the  different  Churches.  The  persons 
to  whom  we  have  alluded  had  been  assembled 


328 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


for  some  time ;  the  wine  was  flowing  freely, 
and  their  hilarity  steadily  increased ;  everything 
seemed  to  promise  them  enjoyment.  At  this  time, 
a  soldier  belonging  to  a  Southern  regiment  entered 
the  room,  and  taking  a  seat  in  the  midst  of  the 
company,  "began  singing,  ver}^  deliberately,  a 
hymn,  commencing, 

"  'O,  sing  to  me  of  heaven! ' 

The  tune  was  solemn  and  affecting;  the  lan- 
guage was  moving  and  impressive.  The  strange- 
ness of  the  circumstance  at  once  secured  the 
attention  of  all  present,  and,  as  the  singer  pro- 
ceeded, the  effect  was  striking ;  the  liquor  ceased 
to  flow,  the  rude  oaths  were  hushed,  and  the  sound 
of  merriment  died  away.  When  the  last  verse 
was  concluded,  a  perfect  stillness  reigned;  the 
spell  of  revelry  had  been  broken,  and  their  antici- 
pated gayeties  were  doomed  thus  singularly  to 
disappointment." 

The  Rev.  John  E.  Edwards,  D.  D.,  of  Virginia, 
traveling  in  Europe  a  few  years  ago,  visited  the 
St.  Nicholas  Cathedral,  at  old  Freyburg,  in 
Switzerland,  where  he  heard  the  exquisite  music 
of  the  great  organ  built  by  Mozer.  It  Avas  at  the 
hour  of  sunset,  when  his  thoughts  had  "  played 
truant,  and  wandered  away  from  the  Alps,  across 
the  seas,  and  paid  a  visit  to  the  loved  ones  at 
home."  Dr.  Edwards  says :  "  I  have  never  been 
able  to  account  for  the  effect  produced  on  me.  I 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


329 


was  moved  to  tears,  and  could  not  tell  why.  My 
heart  beat  quickly,  strongly,  and  a  strange  shiver- 
ing sensation  trembled  along  every  nerve." 

One  who  had  recently  returned  from  a  sea  voy- 
age gives  us  the  following  account :  "  On  one  of 
the  delicious  afternoons  in  February,  peculiar  to 
the  "West  Indies,  as  the  sun  was  declining  below  the 
western  horizon,  the  ship  lay  in  a  calm  near  the 
Island  of  Cuba.  The  sea  was  uncommonly  smooth, 
and  the  sails  lay  listless  against  the  masts.  .  .  . 
The  sun  was  setting,  and  the  whole  ocean  seemed 

of  liquid  gold  At  this  hour  a  few  of  the 

officers  assembled  on  the  forecastle  to  contemplate 
the  scene;  and  recalling  the  joys  of  other  days, 
to  hold  that  converse  which  in  a  small  degree 
alleviates  the  privations  of  a  seaman's  life.  .  .  . 
The  father  dwelt  in  tenderness  on  his  distant 
family ;  the  brother  recalled  the  unbidden  assidui- 
ties of  a  sister's  love ;  and  the  son  felt  his  heart 
softened  by  the  recollection  of  a  mother's  care.  .  .  . 
Such  was  the  state  of  feeling,  when  a  clear,  melo- 
dious voice  slowly  poured  forth  the  first  line  of 
that  exquisite  song — '  Home,  sweet  home ! '  .  .  .  . 
We  had  often  heard  that  song,  but  never  had  it 

come  so  thrillingly  as  then  The  singer 

continued.  As  the  song  drew  to  a  close,  his  emo- 
tion increased  with  that  of  every  one  who  listened. 
At  length,  as  the  line,  '  There's  no  place  like  home,' 
rose  on  the  stillness  of  the  hour  for  the  last  time,  a 


330 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


rusli  of  feeling  was  evident,  and,  in  many,  showed 
itself  in  tears !  .  .  .  .  Oh !  it  was  good  to  look 
on  men  whom  I  had  considered  hardened  in 
iniquity,  thus  throwing  open  the  flood  gates  of 
long  pent  affections,  that  they  might  once  more 
gladden  and  purify  the  soul !  No  one  spoke ;  and 
after  a  few  moments  in  which  all  else  was  banished 
by  the  one  dear  thought  of  the  distant  home  we 
had  exchanged  for  our  '  home  on  the  deep,'  each 
one  sought  his  pillow,  I  doubt  not,  a  better  and 
purer  man." 

A  gay  and  thoughtless  young  lady  left  her  home 
on  a  pleasure-seeking  tour  to  a  fashionable  water- 
ing place.  She  arrived  safely,  but  found,  amid 
the  ceaseless  hilarity,  "  an  aching  void  within." 
Being  seated  near  an  open  window,  she  heard  the 
soft,  smooth  voice  of  a  servant  girl  as  it  warbled 
forth  the  words, 

"  O,  for  a  closer  walk  with  God," — 

As  she  listened  her  soul  was  drawn  out  in  prayer 
with  the  words — 

**  The  dearest  idol  I  have  known, 
Whate'er  that  idol  be ; 
Help  me  to  tear  it  from  Thy  throne. 
And  worship  only  Thee!  " 

She  wept  penitential  tears,  trusted  in  Christ,  and 
rejoiced  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

An  actress,  while  passing  a  cottage  on  the  way 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


331 


to  the  theatre,  had  her  attention  arrested  by  a 
voice  singing  those  familiar  lines  : 

**  Depth  of  mercy!  can  there  be 
Mercy  still  reserved  for  me?  " 

She  stood  and  listened  as  the  singer  proceeded : 

* '  Can  my  God  His  wrath  forbear — 
Me,  the  chief  of  sinners,  spare?" 

The  heart  was  softened,  and  tears  were  shed.  The 
words  haunted  her — 

 "  Can  there  be 

Mercy  still  reserved  for  me  ?  " 

!N"either  the  music  nor  the  multitude  at  the  theatre 
could  hush  that  echo ;  and  when  she  came  out  to 
act  her  part,  she  stammered,  grew  confused,  and 
very  plaintively  sang  before  the  astonished  audi- 
ence : 

*'  Depth  of  mercy  I  can  there  be 
Mercy  still  reserved  for  me? 
Can  my  God  His  wrath  forbear — 
Mc,  the  chief  of  sinr.ers,  spare?" 

and  bursting  into  tears,  she  told  them  that  her 
studied  part  had  passed  from  her  memory,  leaving 
that  touching  hymn  in  its  stead,  and  that  she 
could  never  rest  until  she  sought  and  found  the 
mercy  that  was  still  reserved  for  her.  She  turned, 
and  left  the  stage,  never  to  appear  on  it  again. 

The  Rev.  Robert  A.Young,  D.D.,  speaking  of  one 
of  our  foreign  missionaries,  says :  "  I  saw  brother 


332  THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 

Cunnyngliani  last,  a  few  years  before  he  sailed  for 
China.  The  woods  were  alive  with  horses  and 
oxen ;  the  servants  were  tearing  and  turning  things 
in  every  direction  about  the  camps ;  the  tramp  of 
many  feet  was  heard ;  the  hum  of  busy  voices 
arose  from  little  clumps  of  spectators  that  had 
gathered  upon  the  encampment ;  Christian  hearts 
were  beating  '  high  and  warm ; '  praises  went  up 
like  the  '  sound  of  many  waters  ; '  penitents  wept 
and  prayed  at  the  altar ;  but,  above  all,  the  clear, 
well-toned  and  well-trained  voice  of  brother  Cun- 
nyngham  arose,  as  he  sang  the  hymn,  commencing, 

*'  '  O,  may  we  meet  in  heaven  ! ' 

He  was  closing  the  services  of  a  successful  camp- 
meeting,  in  Tennessee.  The  tones  of  that  voice 
linger  in  the  ear  of  memory  to  this  day. 

*'  '  Perhaps  in  some  far  future  land 

We  yet  may  meet,  we  yet  may  dwell.'" 

In  Macao,  China,  near  Hong  Kong,  the  principal 
occupation  of  the  inhabitants  is  gaming.  Here, 
on  a  certain  occasion,  a  traveler  found  a  company 
of  gamblers  in  a  back  room  on  tli0  upper  floor  of 
a  hotel.  At  the  table  nearest  him,  there  was  an 
American,  about  twenty-five  years  old,  playing 
with  an  old  man.  They  had  been  betting  and 
drinking.  While  the  gray-haired  man  was  shuf- 
fling the  cards  for  "  a  new  deal,"  the  young  man, 


THE  SERVICK  OF  SONG. 


333 


in  a  swaggering,  careless  way,  sang,  to  a  very 
pathetic  tune,  the  following  words : 

*'  One  sweetly  solemn  thought 

Comes  to  me  o'er  and  o'er, 
I'm  nearer  my  home  to-day 

Than  I've  ever  been  before ; 
Nearer  the  crystal  gate 

Where  we  lay  our  burdens  down, 
Nearer  leaving  my  cross, 

Nearer  wearing  my  crown." 

Hearing  the  singing,  several  gamblers  looked  up 
in  surprise.  The  old  man,  who  was  dealing  the 
cards,  putting  on  a  look  of  melancholy,  stopped 
for  a  moment,  gazed  steadfastly  at  his  partner  in 
the  game,  and  then  dashed  the  whole  pack  of 
cards  on  the  floor  under  the  table.  Then  said 
he — "Where  did  you  learn  that  tune?"  The 
young  man  pretended  that  he  did  not  know 
that  he  had  been  singing.  "  Well,  no  matter," 
said  the  old  man,  "  I've  played  my  last  game,  and 
that's  the  end  of  it.  The  cards  may  lie  there  till 
doomsday,  and  I  will  never  pick  them  up."  The  old 
man  having  won  money  from  the  young  man,  about 
one  hundred  dollars,  took  it  out  of  his  pocket, 
and  handing  it  to  the  young  man  said:  "Here, 
Harry,  is  your  money,  take  it  and  do  good  with  it. 
I  shall  with  mine." 

As  the  traveler  followed  them  down  stairs,  he 
saw  them  conversing  by  the  door- way,  and  over- 
heard enough  to  know  that  the  old  man  was  say- 
ing something  about  the  song  which  the  young 
man  had  sung. 


334 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SOXG. 


This  song  was,  doubtless,  learned  at  a  mother's 
knee,  or  in  the  Sunday  School,  and  may  have  been 
the  means  of  the  salvation  of  these  two  gamblers, 
and  of  multitudes  through  their  influence. 

We  close  these  illustrative  instances  with  but 
one  more  narrative  out  of  the  many  others  that 
might  be  given. 

A  nobleman  of  great  wealth,  whose  pleasure 
was  drawn  from  his  riches,  his  honors  and  friends, 
had  a  daughter,  who  was  the  idol  of  his  heart. 
She  was  highly  accomplished,  amiable  in  her  dis- 
position, and  winning  in  her  manners.  At  lengih. 
Miss  attended  a  Methodist  meeting  in  Lon- 
don, was  awakened,  and  soon  happily  converted. 
Afterward,  to  her  the  charms  of  Christianity  were 
overpowering.  The  change  was  marked  by  her 
fond  father  with  great  solicitude,  and  was  to  him 
occasion  of  deep  grief.  He  took  her  on  long  and 
frequent  journeys,  and  attended  her  in  the  most 
engaging  manner,  in  ^^rder  to  divert  her  mind  from 
religion  ;  but  she  still  maintained  her  integrity  as 
a  Christian.  After  failing  in  all  his  projects,  he 
introduced  her  into  compan}^  under  such  circum- 
stances that  she  must  either  join  in  the  recreation 
of  the  party  or  give  high  olfense.  It  had  been 
arranged  afnong  his  friends  that  several  young 
ladies  should,  on  the  approaching  festive  occasion, 
give  a  song,  accompanied  by  the  piano-forte.  The 
hour  arrived,  the  party  assembled.   Several  pieces 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


335 


had  been  performed  to  the  great  delight  of  the 

company  who  were  now  in  higli  spirits.  Miss  

was  called  on  for  a  song,  and  many  hearts  beat 
high  in  hope  of  victory.  Should  she  decline,  she 
was  disgraced.  Should  she  comply,  their  triumph 
was  complete.  This  was  the  moment  to  seal  her 
fate.  With  perfect  self-possession,  she  took  her 
seat,  ran  her  fingers  over  the  keys,  and  commenced 
playing  and  singing,  in  a  sweet  air,  the  following 
words : 

"  No  room  for  mirth  or  trifling  here, 
For  worldly  hope  or  worldly  fear, 

If  life  so  soon  be  gone ; 
If  now  the  Judge  is  at  the  door, 
And  all  mankind  must  stand  before 

The  inexorable  throne. 

No  matter  which  my  thoughts  employ, 
A  moment's  misery  or  joy; 

But,  O,  when  both  shall  end, 
Where  shall  I  find  my  destined  place? 
Shall  I  my  everlasting  days 

With  fiends  or  angels  spend?" 

She  arose  from  her  seat.  The  whole  party  was 
subdued.  Not  a  word  was  spoken.  Her  father 
wept  aloud.    One  by  one  the  company  left  the 

house.    Lord  never  rested  till  he  became  a 

child  of  God.  He  lived  an  example  of  Christian 
benevolence,  having  given  to  various  enterprises, 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  nearly  half  a  million 
dollars. 

From  the  foregoing  narratives,  and  from  the 


336 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


power  of  song,  as  shown  in  former  chapters,  we  see 
that  masic  has  exerted  a  magic  influence  in  all  ages, 
and  in  all  climes.  Its  dulcet  charms  have  captivated 
the  prince  and  the  peasant,  the  stalwart  man  and 
the  gentle  maiden,  the  child  and  the  patriarch,  the 
civilian,  the  savage,  and  even  the  ravenous 
beast  of  prey.  Its  martial  notes  have  turned  the 
scale  of  battle,  and  decided  the  fate  of  nations. 

*'  Music,  all-powerful  o'er  the  human  mind, 

Can  still  each  mental  storm,  each  tumult  calm. 
Soothe  anxious  care  on  sleepless  couch  rechned. 
And  e'en  fierce  anger's  fui-ious  rage  disarm. 

"  At  her  command  the  various  passions  lie; 
She  stirs  to  battle,  or  she  lulls  to  peace. 
Melts  the  charmed  soul  to  thrilling  ecstasy. 
And  bids  the  jarring  world's  harsh  clangor  cease. 

•*  Her  martial  sounds  can  fainting  troops  inspire 
With  strength  unwonted  and  enthusiasm  raise. 
Infuse  new  ardor,  and  with  youthful  fire 

Urge  on  the  warrior  grey  with  length  of  days. 

'  *  Oh !  surely  melody  from  heaven  was  sent. 

To  cheer  the  world  when  tired  of  human  strife. 
To  soothe  the  wayward  heart  by  sorrow  rent. 
And  soften  down  the  rugged  road  of  life." 

In  this  connection,  the  romantic  dreams  of 
heathen  writers  will  be  regarded  as  expressing 
the  truth  in  hyperbole.  When  Orpheus  played 
on  the  flute,  the  rivers  are  said  to  have  ceased 
to  flow,  the  savage  beasts  of  the  forest  to  forget 
their  wildness,  and  the  mountains  are  said  to  have 
come  to  listen  to  his  song.    All  nature  seemed 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


337 


animated  and  cliarmed,  and  the  nymphs  were  his 
constant  companions.  With  his  lyre  in  his  hand, 
he  entered  the  infernal  regions,  and  gained 
easy  admission  to  the  palace  of  Pluto.  The  King 
of  hell  was  charmed  with  the  melody  of  his  strains, 
the  wheel  of  Ixion  stopped,  the  stone  of  Sisyphus 
stood  still,  Tantalus  forgot  his  perpetual  thirst, 
and  even  the  Furies  relented. 

Amphion  was  also  famous  for  his  musical  talent. 
At  the  sound  of  his  lyre,  the  rocks  moved  from 
their  places ;  and  the  animated  stones  rose  up, 
and  formed  themselves  into  the  wall  of  Thebes. 
Perhaps  we  are  to  understand  by  this  that  Am-  * 
phion  by  his  music  tamed  the  spirits,  and  softened 
the  fierce  manners  of  the  savage  Thebans,  thus 
inducing  them  to  build  a  wall  for  their  defense. 

Songs  are  often  more  potent  than  the  "  strong 
arm  of  the  law.'*  Hence,  the  saying  of  the  saga- 
cious moralist — "  Let  me  make  the  ballads  of  a 
nation,  and  I  care  not  who  makes  its  laws." 

Music  not  unfrequently  holds  empire  over  the 
soul  from  childhood  to  old  age.  The  poet  may, 
therefore,  well  exclaim  : 

**  Music,  the  tender  child  of  rudest  times, 
The  gentle  native  of  all  lands  and  climes ; 
Who  hymns  alike  man's  cradle  and  his  gi-ave, 
Lulls  the  low  cot,  or  peals  along  the  nave." 

In  many  of  the  instances  illustrative  of  the 
power  of  music,  given  in  this  chapter,  there  was 
nothing  but  sound;  in  others,  words  sung  by 

22 


338 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


individuals ;  but  the  effects  were  truly  aston- 
isliing.  What,  then,  may  we  not  expect  when  an 
inspiring  tune,  set  to  sacred  words,  is  sung,  "  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,"  by  a  worshiping  assembly? 

Would  that  all  could  feel  that  the  songs  of  Zion 
are  intended  to  be  a  great  power  in  the  Church. 

Why  should  we  sing  ?  We  should  sing  because 
God  has  given  us  the  ability ;  because  He 
has  made  it  our  duty  and  our  privilege  to  sing ; 
because  He  is  infinitely  worthy  of  praise ;  because 
sacred  song  is  a  grand  means  of  bringing  sinners 
to  Christ,  and  "showers  of  blessings"  upon  be- 
lievers. 

We  should  gladly  engage  in  the  service  of  praise 
that  we  may  ultimately  sing  in  heaven.  Earth's 
pursuits  and  joys  are  temporal ;  love  and  song  are 
eternal.  Here,  dispensations  of  grace  succeed  each 
other ;  church  edifices  fall  into  decay ;  congrega- 
tions are  broken  up ;  ministers  die ;  and  soon  shall 
be  heard  the  echo  of  the  last  song  of  Zion  sung  on 
earth.  Faith  will  be  lost  in  the  "  beatific  vision ;" 
Hope,  the  saint's  guardian  angel,  having  con- 
ducted him  to  the  "  shining  shore,"  will  leave  him 
amid  the  enduring  splendors  of  immortality ;  but 
Love  will  "  still  live  and  sing." 

Here,  in  the  midst  of  our  worship,  we  hear  the 
voice  of  wailing,  but 

**  No  sighs  shall  mingle  with  the  songs 
Which  warble  from  immortal  tongues." 

Here  sickness  enfeebles  the  voice,  and  in  death  it 


THE  SERVICE  OF  S0:N-G. 


339 


is  Imslied;  but  the  language  of  the  grateful, 
Christian  heart  is  :  "I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  as 
long  as  I  live :  I  will  sing  praise  unto  my  God 
while  I  have  any  being."  With  deep  emotion,  he 
thus  addresses  his  Divine  Benefactor  : 

*'  Through  every  period  of  my  hfe, 
Thy  goodness  I'll  pursue  ; 
And  after  death,  in  distant  worlds, 
The  pleasing  theme  renew. 

"  When  nature  fails,  and  day  and  night 
Divide  Thy  works  no  more, 
My  ever  grateful  heart,  O  Lord, 
Thy  mercies  shall  adore. 

Through  all  eternity  to  Thee 

A  grateful  song  I'll  raise ; 
But  O  !  eternity's  too  short 

Toutter  all  Thy  praise." 

We  bid  all  travelers  to  the  celestial  Canaan 
God-speed !  We  congratulate  them  on  the  blissful 
prospect  which  lies  before  them ;  as  it  is  said — 
^'  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  return  and  come 
with  singing  unto  Zion ;  and  everlasting  joy  shall 
be  upon  their  heads  :  they  shall  obtain  gladness 
and  joy;  and  sorrow  and  mourning  shall  flee 
away." 

While  we  live,  may  we  all  sing  away  our  sor- 
rows, and  may  death  be  to  us  but  a  quaver  rest 
in  the  song  of  Redemption.  0,  that  it  may  ulti- 
mately be  said  to  us — "Awake  and  Sing,  ye  that 
dwell  in  dust ! " 


340 


THE  SERVICE  OF  SONG. 


Cherishing  this  "good  hope,  through  grace," 
we  repeat  a  few  words  from  the  Scriptures,  and 
then  take  our  leave  : 

God  is  gone  up  wixn  a  shout,  the  Lord  with 
the  sound  of  a  trumpet. 

Sing  praises  to  God,  sing  praises  ;  sing 

PRAISES  unto  our  KiNG,  SING  PRAISES  :  FOr  GOD 

is  THE  King  of  all  the  earth  :  sing  ye  praises 

WITH  UNDERSTANDING. 


The  End. 

v 


Date  Due 

Pnnceton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Libr.iry 


1  1012  01042  1917 


